International letter to Obama: give money to Israel only if it obeys law
Dear President Obama,
We are Americans from small towns and big cities, and we are Palestinians and Israelis a world away. We are the women, men, and children who are suffering every single day in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, and we are the people from across the world who seek to end that suffering. We are mothers of soldiers and children of refuseniks. We are Jews and Muslims, Christians and atheists, and people of the many other traditions of the world.
And we are all united by our determination to see a truly just peace take root in Israel and Palestine. That goal became even more elusive during your first term, but the American voters have just given you a second chance to make history.
Our request is simple.
Fifteen church leaders* have bravely spoken out in a letter to Congress–stating a principle that should be obvious: Israel, the biggest long-term recipient of US aid, should not be above the law. Mr. President, please condition US aid to Israel on compliance with US and international law. It must not be used to violate the rights of Palestinians.
Anything less is a danger to Palestinians, to Israelis, to Americans and to the entire world.
ObamaLetter.org organized by Jewish Voice for Peace.
Co-sponsors:
American Muslims for Palestine, Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights, Arab Jewish Partnership for Peace & Justice in the Middle East, Badayl-Alternatives, Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, Citizens for Justice in the Middle East–Kansas City, Coalition for Peace with Justice (North Carolina), Community of Sant’ Egidio/San Francisco,
European Jews for a Just Peace, Friends of Palestine-Wisconsin, Friends of Sabeel North America, Grassroots International, Interdenominational Advocates for Peace Ann Arbor, Interfaith Peace-Builders, Jewish Voice for a Just Peace Switzerland, Jews for Justice for Palestinians (UK), Just Foreign Policy, Justice First Foundation, Kairos USA,
Lutherans for Justice in the Holy Land Central Lutheran (Portland, OR), Michigan Stop the Nuclear Bombs Campaign, Middle East Task Force of Chicago Presbytery, Palestine Israel Network of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Political Approaches to Coexistence, Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, United Methodists’ Holy Land Task Force,
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, US Peace Council, Upper Hudson Peace Action, Working Group Middle East of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the ELCA, Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace.
To add your group, email liz@jvp.org
Help us secure 50,000 signatures and forward this link widely: www.ObamaLetter.org
* Christians ask Congress to withhold funds from Israel if it breaks US law