"We can hold two things in our heads at once: that the attacks by Hamas on October 7 were a war crime, and that Israel has responded by committing crimes against humanity," said Rep. Ilhan Omar.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), speaks at a press conference in favor of a cease-fire in Gaza outside in Washington, D.C. on December 14, 2023.
(Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
COMMON DREAMS
Jan 11, 2024
Nearly 400 international lawmakers on Thursday provided the latest proof that the Biden administration is isolating itself by continuing to back Israel's slaughter of civilians in Gaza, as parliamentarians representing U.S. allies including Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and Denmark were among those demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) joined German lawmaker Sevim Dağdelen, a member of the Bundestag for die Linke, or Left party, in leading 384 policymakers in signing the brief statement.
"We join together as lawmakers from around the world to call for an immediate, multilateral cease-fire in Israel and Palestine, the release of all the remaining Israeli and international hostages, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid entry into Gaza," said the legislators. "We further urge our own respective governments and the international community to uphold international law and seek accountability for grave violations of human rights."
Dağdelen called the international support for the statement "a strong signal for peace."
The letter was publicized as South Africa presented oral arguments to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), officially accusing Israel of genocidal acts and intent in Gaza and detailing its exhaustive evidence, including direct, public calls from top officials for the Israeli military to force Gazans to "migrate" and to treat all inhabitants of the enclave as legitimate targets—both violations of international law.
Biden administration officials have repeatedly said that Israel is only exercising its "right to defend itself" following Hamas' October 7 attack, and have dismissed South Africa's case as "meritless" despite all evidence to the contrary.
"We can hold two things in our heads at once: that the attacks by Hamas on October 7 were a war crime, and that Israel has responded by committing crimes against humanity—crimes that the United States, and much of the West, continue to let happen, despite our professed support for international law," Omar toldThe Guardian.
The signatories of the statement hail from countries including Mexico, Ghana, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Switzerland, and British signers include former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and House of Lords member Shami Chakrabarti.
Omar's progressive American colleagues including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), and Summer Lee (D-Pa.) also signed the letter.
Bush led progressives in introducing House Resolution 768 in October, less than two weeks into the bombardment which has now killed at least 23,469 people—mostly women and children—and left 59,604 wounded, including 1,000 children who have lost one or both of their legs since October 7.
As Omar pointed out to The Guardian, an end to Israel's assault would also be a step toward protecting Israeli "hostages who have now suffered for 133 days."
Despite growing calls for a cease-fire from the United Nations, international human rights and law experts, and the American public, the Biden administration vetoed a cease-fire resolution at the U.N. Security Council last month and was joined by just nine other countries in opposing a similar resolution at the U.N. General Assembly, while 153 countries supported the measure.
"We must refuse to be silent as the majority of the world is calling for an end to the violence and mass human suffering, and the need for accountability," said Bush on Thursday in a joint statement with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). "As one of the countries that has agreed to the Genocide Convention, the U.S. must stop trying to discredit and undermine this case and the international legal system it claims to support."
"Our commitment to protecting the human rights of all people," said the lawmakers, "must be unconditional."
Jan 11, 2024
Nearly 400 international lawmakers on Thursday provided the latest proof that the Biden administration is isolating itself by continuing to back Israel's slaughter of civilians in Gaza, as parliamentarians representing U.S. allies including Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and Denmark were among those demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) joined German lawmaker Sevim Dağdelen, a member of the Bundestag for die Linke, or Left party, in leading 384 policymakers in signing the brief statement.
"We join together as lawmakers from around the world to call for an immediate, multilateral cease-fire in Israel and Palestine, the release of all the remaining Israeli and international hostages, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid entry into Gaza," said the legislators. "We further urge our own respective governments and the international community to uphold international law and seek accountability for grave violations of human rights."
Dağdelen called the international support for the statement "a strong signal for peace."
The letter was publicized as South Africa presented oral arguments to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), officially accusing Israel of genocidal acts and intent in Gaza and detailing its exhaustive evidence, including direct, public calls from top officials for the Israeli military to force Gazans to "migrate" and to treat all inhabitants of the enclave as legitimate targets—both violations of international law.
Biden administration officials have repeatedly said that Israel is only exercising its "right to defend itself" following Hamas' October 7 attack, and have dismissed South Africa's case as "meritless" despite all evidence to the contrary.
"We can hold two things in our heads at once: that the attacks by Hamas on October 7 were a war crime, and that Israel has responded by committing crimes against humanity—crimes that the United States, and much of the West, continue to let happen, despite our professed support for international law," Omar toldThe Guardian.
The signatories of the statement hail from countries including Mexico, Ghana, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Switzerland, and British signers include former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and House of Lords member Shami Chakrabarti.
Omar's progressive American colleagues including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), and Summer Lee (D-Pa.) also signed the letter.
Bush led progressives in introducing House Resolution 768 in October, less than two weeks into the bombardment which has now killed at least 23,469 people—mostly women and children—and left 59,604 wounded, including 1,000 children who have lost one or both of their legs since October 7.
As Omar pointed out to The Guardian, an end to Israel's assault would also be a step toward protecting Israeli "hostages who have now suffered for 133 days."
Despite growing calls for a cease-fire from the United Nations, international human rights and law experts, and the American public, the Biden administration vetoed a cease-fire resolution at the U.N. Security Council last month and was joined by just nine other countries in opposing a similar resolution at the U.N. General Assembly, while 153 countries supported the measure.
"We must refuse to be silent as the majority of the world is calling for an end to the violence and mass human suffering, and the need for accountability," said Bush on Thursday in a joint statement with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). "As one of the countries that has agreed to the Genocide Convention, the U.S. must stop trying to discredit and undermine this case and the international legal system it claims to support."
"Our commitment to protecting the human rights of all people," said the lawmakers, "must be unconditional."
'There Must Be Accountability': Tlaib, Bush Back ICJ Case Against Israel
After reading from South Africa's 84-page application on the House floor, Tlaib said that both the Biden administration and Congress were "complicit in this genocide" but stressed that there was still "time to save lives."
U.S. Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) participated in a rally calling for a Gaza cease-fire on October 20, 2023.
(Photo: Ali Khaligh/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
After reading remarks from Israeli leaders including President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi, Tlaib argued: "There is simply time to save lives—to stop the Israeli government from carrying out the genocide in Gaza. This body and the Biden administration are complicit in this genocide. Congress must stop funding the genocide of the Palestinian people with our American tax dollars."
Israel already got $3.8 billion in annual U.S. military aid before decimating Gaza over the past three months. Since Israel declared war, President Joe Biden has asked federal lawmakers for a $14.3 billion package still under consideration while also bypassing Congress to arm Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, elected officials in the United States and around the world are growing increasingly critical of Israel's blockade and bombardment of Gaza. Bush is among a dozen U.S. lawmakers and hundreds from other countries who have signed a new global call for a cease-fire, led by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Sevim Dağdelen, a leftist German parliamentarian.
After reading from South Africa's 84-page application on the House floor, Tlaib said that both the Biden administration and Congress were "complicit in this genocide" but stressed that there was still "time to save lives."
U.S. Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) participated in a rally calling for a Gaza cease-fire on October 20, 2023.
(Photo: Ali Khaligh/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
COMMON DREAMS
Jan 11, 2024
U.S. Congresswomen Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib on Thursday expressed support for South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip as the ICJ began two days of related hearings in The Hague.
"We unequivocally join world leaders and international human rights organizations in support of South Africa's case before the International Court of Justice alleging Israel violated the Genocide Convention," said Bush (D-Mo.) and Tlaib (D-Mich.) in a joint statement. "There must be an end to the violence—and there must be accountability for the blatant human rights abuses and mass atrocities occurring in the region."
"We must refuse to be silent as the majority of the world is calling for an end to the violence and mass human suffering, and the need for accountability."
"The historical significance of a post-apartheid state filing this case must not be lost, and the moral weight of their prerogative cannot be dismissed," they continued. "The United States has a devastating role in the ongoing violence in Gaza, where already over 23,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than 59,000 injured, and millions have been displaced. We must refuse to be silent as the majority of the world is calling for an end to the violence and mass human suffering, and the need for accountability."
The pair added that "as one of the countries that has agreed to the Genocide Convention, the U.S. must stop trying to discredit and undermine this case and the international legal system it claims to support. Our commitment to protecting the human rights of all people must be unconditional. The best time to make a conclusive determination on genocide is when there is still time to stop it, not after. We will continue pushing for a lasting ceasefire, full accountability, and a just and lasting peace for everyone."
Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, and Bush were both outspoken critics of the Israeli government and occupation long before the Hamas-led attack on October 7 and they have been leading voices against Israel's disproportionate and indiscriminate response, including by spearheading a cease-fire resolution in the House.
Tlaib also took to the House floor Thursday morning. Noting that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this week called the ICJ case "meritless," she said, "Let me read directly from the case file starting on page 59, 'Expressions of Genocidal Intent against the Palestinian People by Israeli Officials,' so you can hear directly from the Israeli officials in their own words, not mine."
Jan 11, 2024
U.S. Congresswomen Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib on Thursday expressed support for South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip as the ICJ began two days of related hearings in The Hague.
"We unequivocally join world leaders and international human rights organizations in support of South Africa's case before the International Court of Justice alleging Israel violated the Genocide Convention," said Bush (D-Mo.) and Tlaib (D-Mich.) in a joint statement. "There must be an end to the violence—and there must be accountability for the blatant human rights abuses and mass atrocities occurring in the region."
"We must refuse to be silent as the majority of the world is calling for an end to the violence and mass human suffering, and the need for accountability."
"The historical significance of a post-apartheid state filing this case must not be lost, and the moral weight of their prerogative cannot be dismissed," they continued. "The United States has a devastating role in the ongoing violence in Gaza, where already over 23,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than 59,000 injured, and millions have been displaced. We must refuse to be silent as the majority of the world is calling for an end to the violence and mass human suffering, and the need for accountability."
The pair added that "as one of the countries that has agreed to the Genocide Convention, the U.S. must stop trying to discredit and undermine this case and the international legal system it claims to support. Our commitment to protecting the human rights of all people must be unconditional. The best time to make a conclusive determination on genocide is when there is still time to stop it, not after. We will continue pushing for a lasting ceasefire, full accountability, and a just and lasting peace for everyone."
Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, and Bush were both outspoken critics of the Israeli government and occupation long before the Hamas-led attack on October 7 and they have been leading voices against Israel's disproportionate and indiscriminate response, including by spearheading a cease-fire resolution in the House.
Tlaib also took to the House floor Thursday morning. Noting that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this week called the ICJ case "meritless," she said, "Let me read directly from the case file starting on page 59, 'Expressions of Genocidal Intent against the Palestinian People by Israeli Officials,' so you can hear directly from the Israeli officials in their own words, not mine."
After reading remarks from Israeli leaders including President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi, Tlaib argued: "There is simply time to save lives—to stop the Israeli government from carrying out the genocide in Gaza. This body and the Biden administration are complicit in this genocide. Congress must stop funding the genocide of the Palestinian people with our American tax dollars."
Israel already got $3.8 billion in annual U.S. military aid before decimating Gaza over the past three months. Since Israel declared war, President Joe Biden has asked federal lawmakers for a $14.3 billion package still under consideration while also bypassing Congress to arm Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, elected officials in the United States and around the world are growing increasingly critical of Israel's blockade and bombardment of Gaza. Bush is among a dozen U.S. lawmakers and hundreds from other countries who have signed a new global call for a cease-fire, led by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Sevim Dağdelen, a leftist German parliamentarian.
San Francisco Becomes Largest US City to Back Gaza Ceasefire
The city’s resolution calls on the Biden administration and Congress to follow suit.
By Sharon Zhang ,
“Ceasefire Now!” Means Peace for All and Justice for Palestinians
A permanent ceasefire in Gaza is an urgent matter that all Jews should be supporting.
By Rebecca Alpert , TRUTHOUT December 28, 2023
Activist groups like Jewish Voice for Peace Bay Area and Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) Bay Area celebrated the passage, saying that the resolution was the result of pressure from dedicated activists over the past months, with advocates regularly packing into city council meetings and contacting their representatives to advocate for the legislation.
The resolution was introduced by Supervisor Dean Preston and cosponsored by Supervisor Hillary Ronen. Supervisors have noted that they have seen more constituent engagement on the ceasefire resolution than on any other issue.
“This crisis has directly affected our constituents, and we should be doing everything we can to support and amplify their calls for peace,” Preston said in a press release after the vote. He additionally thanked activists for taking time to speak out on the ceasefire after the vote and called for other cities to pass similar legislation.
In the resolution, the supervisors note the vast amount of military funding that the U.S. is providing to Israel, and directly call for the Biden administration and Congress to back a ceasefire. Preston says that he hopes the resolution passage will put pressure on federal lawmakers to follow suit.
“We’re going to start something here today that’s going to take off across cities all over the United States,” Ronen said, per the Los Angeles Times. “And if enough of us speak out, President Biden will have to listen.”
The city’s resolution calls on the Biden administration and Congress to follow suit.
By Sharon Zhang ,
January 10, 2024
People gather at Noe Valley Town Square for a ceasefire vigil in solidarity of Palestine and protest Israeli attacks on Gaza, in San Francisco, California, on January 6, 2024.
TAYFUN COSKUN / ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES
San Francisco has become the largest city in the U.S. whose elected leaders have approved legislation calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza — a resolution that Palestinian rights advocates in the city have been rallying for for weeks.
The resolution passed the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in an 8 to 3 vote on Tuesday, with a veto-proof majority. It calls for a “sustained” ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages, noting the killing of Palestinian civilians in Israel’s genocidal assault as well as the deaths of Israelis on October 7. The resolution also condemns antisemitic, anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic attacks that have been on the rise in recent months.
“All human life is precious, and the targeting of civilians is a violation of international humanitarian law,” the resolution reads.
San Francisco joins its neighbor, Oakland, whose city council voted unanimously to pass a similar measure in November, and dozens of cities across the U.S. that have passed ceasefire resolutions so far. The largest cities to approve a ceasefire other than San Francisco are Detroit and Atlanta.
Nearly 400 people were in attendance at the meeting on Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times, with nearly 200 people speaking up in favor of a ceasefire and only one person speaking out against the idea. After the resolution passed, people in the chamber burst out in celebration, clapping and chanting “free, free Palestine.”
San Francisco has become the largest city in the U.S. whose elected leaders have approved legislation calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza — a resolution that Palestinian rights advocates in the city have been rallying for for weeks.
The resolution passed the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in an 8 to 3 vote on Tuesday, with a veto-proof majority. It calls for a “sustained” ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages, noting the killing of Palestinian civilians in Israel’s genocidal assault as well as the deaths of Israelis on October 7. The resolution also condemns antisemitic, anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic attacks that have been on the rise in recent months.
“All human life is precious, and the targeting of civilians is a violation of international humanitarian law,” the resolution reads.
San Francisco joins its neighbor, Oakland, whose city council voted unanimously to pass a similar measure in November, and dozens of cities across the U.S. that have passed ceasefire resolutions so far. The largest cities to approve a ceasefire other than San Francisco are Detroit and Atlanta.
Nearly 400 people were in attendance at the meeting on Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times, with nearly 200 people speaking up in favor of a ceasefire and only one person speaking out against the idea. After the resolution passed, people in the chamber burst out in celebration, clapping and chanting “free, free Palestine.”
“Ceasefire Now!” Means Peace for All and Justice for Palestinians
A permanent ceasefire in Gaza is an urgent matter that all Jews should be supporting.
By Rebecca Alpert , TRUTHOUT December 28, 2023
Activist groups like Jewish Voice for Peace Bay Area and Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) Bay Area celebrated the passage, saying that the resolution was the result of pressure from dedicated activists over the past months, with advocates regularly packing into city council meetings and contacting their representatives to advocate for the legislation.
The resolution was introduced by Supervisor Dean Preston and cosponsored by Supervisor Hillary Ronen. Supervisors have noted that they have seen more constituent engagement on the ceasefire resolution than on any other issue.
“This crisis has directly affected our constituents, and we should be doing everything we can to support and amplify their calls for peace,” Preston said in a press release after the vote. He additionally thanked activists for taking time to speak out on the ceasefire after the vote and called for other cities to pass similar legislation.
In the resolution, the supervisors note the vast amount of military funding that the U.S. is providing to Israel, and directly call for the Biden administration and Congress to back a ceasefire. Preston says that he hopes the resolution passage will put pressure on federal lawmakers to follow suit.
“We’re going to start something here today that’s going to take off across cities all over the United States,” Ronen said, per the Los Angeles Times. “And if enough of us speak out, President Biden will have to listen.”
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