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Sample Letter
about Gaza Attack
This letter is adapted from an
Amnesty International Letter. To view the original letter and send it
electronically, click
here. Alternatively, you can copy and paste this letter and
mail it to the U.S. State Department, your U.S. Representative or to President
Elect Obama (see contact information
here). To learn how to contact NC
representatives click
here. To find out who represents your district/state,
click here. (Date)
Dear (Official's Name)
I am deeply concerned about the situation in the Gaza strip following the
Israeli air strikes and ground assault. Since the beginning of the
offensive, some 1400 Palestinians have been killed, including scores of unarmed
civilians, including over 300 women and children. Nearly 5000 Palestinians have
also been injured.
I am also concerned about the rocket fire by armed Palestinian groups including
Hamas. These attacks are against international law and have killed four Israelis
and injured scores more.
But I am particularly dismayed at the lopsided response by the US government to
the recent violence and its lackadaisical efforts to ameliorate the humanitarian
crisis in Gaza. I expect the US government to share this concern for all unarmed
civilians, be they Israeli or Palestinians, who are caught in this conflict, and
I urge the US government to spare no effort to pressure all sides in the
conflict to immediately cease indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks which
cause civilians fatalities and casualties.
Without diminishing the responsibility of Hamas and other Palestinian armed
groups for indiscriminate and deliberate attacks on Israeli civilians, the US
government must not ignore Israel’s disproportionate response and the
longstanding policies which have brought the Gaza Strip to the brink of
humanitarian disaster. While Israel has the right and the duty to protect its
citizens, it must do so in accordance with international human rights and
humanitarian law. International law takes security concerns into consideration
and allows states to use reasonable means to confront legitimate threats.
However, operations must be strictly necessary, proportionate and make every
effort to discriminate between combatant and civilian. The least intrusive means
must be selected to confront the threat.
In its latest bombing campaign, Israel is completely failing to meet these
requirements under international law. The Gaza Strip is one of the most
densely populated areas in the world. The attacks also come at a time when the
civilian population already faces a daily struggle for survival. According to
reports authored by Amnesty International, UN aid agencies, OXFAM, CARE, and
several other organizations, the humanitarian crisis is at an all-time high
level and is now worse that it has ever been since the 1967 Israeli military
occupation. Rising unemployment, crippling prices of food and basic supplies,
and inadequate medical facilities have created a man-made disaster. According to
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, "The civilian population, the fabric of Gaza,
the future of the peace process, stability in the region, and goodwill among
people throughout the world: all are trapped between the irresponsibility
displayed in the indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas militants and the
disproportionality of the continuing Israeli military operation."
At present there is an urgent need for access to humanitarian aid, food and
essential supplies – as both aid agencies and residents of Gaza have long
ago run out of provision reserves due to the Israeli blockade which has so
restricted the flow of goods into Gaza for months. The quantities which the
Israeli army has allowed into Gaza in recent days are nowhere near what is
necessary to meet the basic needs of the population of 1.5 million.
I am further concerned that weaponry and military equipment supplied to Israel
by the US (or developed with US military assistance) have also been used in the
recent Israeli strikes against densely populated civilian residential areas of
Gaza, resulting in scores of unarmed civilians fatalities and hundreds of
casualties, in violation of US law. The U.S. Arms Export Control Act of 1976
requires governments that receive weapons from the United States use them only
for legitimate self-defense.
The U.S. government can play an important role in ending this crisis by strongly
condemning unlawful attacks by both Hamas and Israel which indiscriminately
and/or disproportionately kill and injure civilians.
The U.S. must also take an active role in reversing the dire humanitarian crisis
in Gaza by exerting pressure on Israel to open the crossings into Gaza to
allow adequate quantities of humanitarian aid into the strip – including
food, water, medicine and fuel. Humanitarian and human rights workers as well as
media must be allowed to enter to aid in the recovery and to serve as neutral,
third party observers. Israel must also grant the wounded access to hospitals in
Israel and to Palestinian hospitals in East Jerusalem and the rest of the West
Bank.
The United States should also take steps to insist that the Egyptian
authorities open Egyptian hospitals to those in need of medical care which is
not available in Gaza and ask that Egypt guarantees that its border guards
do not resort to excessive use of force against those fleeing the bombing. Hamas
must also ensure that its security forces and militias do not, under any
circumstances, hinder or prevent the passage of the wounded or others patients
trying to leave Gaza.
Finally, it is vital that the United States suspend the transfer of weapons
to Israel immediately and conduct an investigation into whether U.S. weapons
were used to commit human rights abuses.
Thank you for your consideration of the above concerns and recommendations.
(Your Name) |
