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What’s Happening In Gaza?

May 21, 2018

Photo credit: diario fotográfico ‘desde Palestina’, photographer • CC BY-SA 3.0

By  Mike Hersh for Mike F., Donna, Judy, Dr. Bill, Deb, Janis, Dan, Kimberly, and Bryan—Your PDA National Team

Take Action For Peace

Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) makes it easy for you to stand up for human rights and peace. Click here to tell Congress to demand that Israel let their colleagues travel to Gaza to determine what’s going on there. It’s just common sense. U.S. taxpayers are underwriting Israel with $billions. Congress appropriates that money. Congress must be fully informed about the situation. But Israel is blocking a Congressional fact-finding trip.

Tell Congress to Demand that Israel let their Colleagues Visit Gaza

Act Now! Contact Congress!

 

John Nichols writing for the Nation reported:

The Trump administration’s response to the killings of dozens of Palestinian demonstrators by Israeli soldiers was to fault the organizers of mass demonstrations by people who are living in nightmarish conditions on the Gaza Strip.While a White House spokesman claimed, “the responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas,” the man Donald Trump has charged with renewing the Middle East peace process, presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, literally faulted protesters amid reports of the mass killing and wounding of Palestinian men, women and children who were objecting to Israeli policies.”

As we have seen from the protests of the last month and even today, those provoking violence are part of the problem and not part of the solution,” Kushner claimed at a ceremony marking the opening of the new United States Embassy in Jerusalem.

John’s article quoted members of Congress taking exception to the above:

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) called for urgent diplomatic action. “More than 50 killed in Gaza today and 2,000 wounded, on top of the 41 killed and more than 9,000 wounded over the past weeks. This is a staggering toll,” said Sanders, who explained that: “Hamas violence does not justify Israel firing on unarmed protesters. The United States must play an aggressive role in bringing Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt and the international community together to address Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and stop this escalating violence.”

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota) decried the “occupation and oppression of Palestinians” and wrote that Trump administration policies “are fueling conflict, abandoning diplomatic efforts to achieve peace.”

Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) announced: “There are better ways to deal with the tensions in Gaza than bullets.”

Rep. Pocan issued a statement that expressed shock and dismay at “the lethal force used by Israeli troops against mostly unarmed protesters demonstrating at Gaza’s border” and called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to “show utmost restraint, allow for unfettered medical attention for those who have been wounded, and ease the 12-year blockade on Gaza, which has contributed to grave food insecurity, unemployment and a humanitarian crisis for Gaza’s two million inhabitants.”

Click here to tell Congress to demand that Israel let their colleagues travel to Gaza to determine what’s going on there, to inform U.S. policy, and to promote a peaceful solution to the crisis.

In solidarity,

Mike Hersh for Mike F., Donna, Judy, Dr. Bill, Deb, Janis, Dan, Kimberly, and Bryan—Your PDA National Team

P.S. We’re here to help you make progress in your state and locality! If you need help organizing a new PDA chapter or energizing your existing chapter, please contact PDA Field Coordinator Dan O’Neal. Join the PDA Phone Team making easy, effective calls from your own home with Mike “Phone Guy” Fox. No time to volunteer? Then please pitch in whatever you can afford each month.We don’t have billionaire dark money donors. We depend upon your generous support. Please give generously each month to support our organizing.

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