Urge the U.S. Government to stop arming Israel

[Jefferson23]

This summer, civilians have borne the brunt of the violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Much of this has been carried out with foreign supplied arms.

Amnesty International is calling for a UN-imposed comprehensive arms embargo on Israel, Hamas and Palestinian armed groups. It is time for a UN-mandated international investigation into violations committed on all sides amidst Israel’s invasion of Gaza and indiscriminate rocket fire from Palestinian armed groups into Israel.

The U.S. government needs to do its part and stop giving munitions, weapons, crowd control devices, and military training to Israel.

in full: http://act.amnestyusa.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1839&ea.campaign.id=30408&ea.tracking.id=MessagingCategory_PrisonersandPeopleatRisk~MessagingCat

[easychoice]

1. Like we urged them to stop bombing Viet Nam?

The wealthiest family's in the U.S. are fueling this.It won't stop.

[Jefferson23]

4. I do not understand anyone who would be against this request. n/t

[easychoice]

5. I agree with you wholeheartedly but they don't

we lose.What bothers me most is that there are religious humans that find this form of murder acceptable.Murder is not acceptable.

[Jefferson23]

2. Gaza: Airstrike Deaths Raise Concerns on Ground Offensive

Unlawful Israeli Attacks Hit Hospital, Kill Children, Other Civilians

July 22, 2014

(Gaza) – Israel should cease attacks that cause loss of civilian life and property in violation of the laws of war. Human Rights Watch investigated eight Israeli airstrikes that were apparent violations of the laws of war before the ground offensive that began on July 17, 2014. The findings and reports of numerous new civilian casualties heightened concerns for the safety of civilians during the ground offensive.

More than 200 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began its ground offensive. The total death toll since the fighting began on July 7 is more than 500, the majority Palestinian civilians, according to reports from United Nations humanitarian agencies.

“After Israeli missiles killed boys on a beach and repeatedly struck a well-marked hospital, one can only be gravely concerned for the safety of civilians caught up in the ground offensive,” said Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East and North Africa director. “Israel needs to do more than try to explain away unlawful attacks – it needs to stop them.”

The attacks Human Rights Watch investigated include a missile attack that killed four boys on a Gaza City pier and wounded three others, multiple strikes over several days on a hospital for paralyzed and elderly patients, attacks on an apparent civilian residence and media worker’s car, and four previously documented strikes. In many, if not all, of these cases, Human Rights Watch found no evidence of a military target. Israeli forces’ failure to direct attacks at a military target violates the laws of war. Israeli forces may also have knowingly or recklessly attacked people who were clearly civilians, such as young boys, and civilian structures, including a hospital – laws-of-war violations that are indicative of war crimes.

http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/07/22/gaza-airstrike-deaths-raise-concerns-ground-offensive

[Jefferson23]

3. 10 Human Rights Organizations in an Urgent Letter to Attorney General:

Concerns Regarding Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law in the IDF's Operations in Gaza
Organization who signed the letter: B’Tselem - Gisha - The Association for Civil Rights in Israel – The Public Committee against Torture in Israel - Hamoked: Center for the Defence of the Individual - Yesh Din - Adalah - Machsom Watch - Rabbis for Human Rights - Physicians for Human Rights –Israel




Ten human rights organizations urgently contacted Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein today following the release of reports on the nature of attacks within the Gaza Strip and the high rate of civilian casualties. This information raises concerns about grave violations of international humanitarian law.

The organizations demanded that the Attorney General instruct the government to refrain from violating the laws of war and re-evaluate its aggressive policy and rules of engagement. The organizations seek to clarify whether the Attorney General critically evaluated the legal advice supplied to the Military Advocate General that underpins 'Operation Protective Edge', and calls on him to establish an external, independent and effective investigatory mechanism to examine the decision making of the political and operational establishment as required by international law and supported by the rulings of the High Court of Justice.

The joint letter notes that more than 400 people have been killed and thousands injured since the beginning of Operation Protective Edge, the vast majority of which are Palestinians. More than 80 of the dead Palestinians are children. According to estimates provided by the United Nations, civilian casualties constitute 70% of the deaths.

The letter illustrates several instances of severe attacks suffered by Palestinian civilians. In the neighborhood of Shujaya, newly released data reveals a shocking picture of dozens of dead Palestinians, including at least 17 children and 14 women. In this case, serious concern is raised concerning the legality of the operation, an in particular, the potential violation of the fundamental principles of the laws of war, specifically the principle of distinguishing between combatants and civilians. The organizations assert that actions that do not enable a distinction between combatants and civilians must be avoided so much as possible to minimize civilian casualties.

http://www.btselem.org/press_release/20140721_joint_statement_on_gaza