Kucinich offers Resolution for Cease-Fire in Gaza, unimpeded aid to Gaza

[FourScore]

Kucinich offers Resolution for Cease-Fire in Gaza, unimpeded aid to Gaza
by Tom J
Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 08:09:52 AM PST

A quick diary, but very important. Please take action to get support for this important resolution to soon be formally introduced by Dennis Kucinich. It comes after last weeks disgusting House/Senate vote to unconditionally support Israeli aggression in Gaza that now has killed nearly a thousand people, mostly unarmed people, including hundreds of children. The death toll, staggering as it may be, really says little of the suffering of the 1.4 million people of Gaza.

It is in the best interest of the people of the United States, of Palestinians, of Israelis, of the world, for the United States to do all it can to press for a cease-fire, for aid to the people of Gaza.

This resolution, to be offered by Dennis Kucinich, is not yet numbered.
It can be found here:

http://endtheoccupation.org/downloads/KUCINI_001_xml.pdf

RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Whereas over 95 percent of the deaths incurred since the escalation
of violence in Gaza beginning December 27, 2008, have been Palestinians;
Whereas over 50 percent of the population of Gaza is under the age of 14;

Whereas on January 7, 2009, the United Nations found that one-third of the Palestinians killed in Gaza were civilians, while over 1,000 of the injured are children; Whereas on January 6, 2009, 40 civilians were killed and 55 civilians were injured when the Israeli Defense Forces

(IDF) bombed two United Nations facilities, including a school, where Palestinians were seeking shelter; Whereas nearly the entire population of Gaza has no access to potable water or functioning water systems, and sewage and wastewater systems have seized due to lack of water and electricity, causing sewage overflows in some residential neighborhoods, creating a public health crisis, according to the World Bank;

Whereas since the beginning of the Israeli imposed blockade in February 2006, approximately 262 Palestinians in Gaza have died due to lack of access to medical goods and aid, according to Mustafa Barghouthi, the Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative;

Whereas on January 7 and 8, 2009, the International Committee of the Red Cross found a total of up to 65 bodies in two separate locations, both of which included a number of emaciated children, in houses bombed in the south of Gaza after four days of lack of ambulance access;

Whereas the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and the International Committee of the Red Cross have completely halted all aid shipments, following the death of two United Nations aid truck drivers; and Whereas Articles 55 and 56 of the 4th Geneva Convention require
‘‘ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population’’
and ‘‘ensuring and maintaining...the medical
and hospital establishments and services, public health
and hygiene’’: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives calls on
the Government of Israel and representatives of Hamas to implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and to allow unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza.

More info on this resolution can be found here at the Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

http://endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1785

(yes, they choose sides... not one ethnic group over another, but freedom vs. occupation, they chose to support freedom... that is why the US Campaign is supported by all sorts of Americans, Christians, Muslims, Secular, Jewish, human rights activists, peace activists... we all have a vital stake in working for a change in US policy for peace and justice in the Middle East... yes, we all "have a dog in this race" because an injury to one is an injury to all... that is not just a phrase but an important truth... if humans want to survive the 21st century we better take it to heart.)

90,000 Gazans have already been displaced. We will not know the exact number of those who no longer have intact homes to return to for some time, but many of these homes have been destroyed by US-supplied bombers.

We cannot be silent, it is simply not an option.

work to support the Kucinich resolution, and the leadership he has shown on this issue.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/1/13/104055/745/958/683501

[bdamomma]

1. kick and rec

[blm]

2. Big K&R for a positive and doable action.

.

[cali]

3. if only it were doable

but alas, this won't get to the floor no matter what we do.

[1776Forever]

4. This took real guts on the part of DK - Salon.com reported Bill Moyers talked about the silence....

Here is a report on the Moyers comment from Salon.com

Saturday Jan. 10, 2009 06:44 EST
Bill Moyers on Israel/Gaza

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/01/10/moyers/

(updated below - Update II - Update III)

On his PBS Journal Show last night, Bill Moyers delivered a poignant essay on Israel/Gaza (video on the site). The whole segment is worth watching -- it begins with coverage of a mostly ignored anti-war march this week in Washington (while media hordes, down the street, fixated on the Roland Burris circus) -- but Moyers' essay begins at roughly the 2:20 mark.

The most striking aspect is that sober, fact-based, even-handed commentary like this about Israel automatically subjects one to widespread, profoundly ugly accusations of being "anti-Israel" and even "anti-Semitic," to the point where not a single U.S. Senator and no House member other than a handful dare utter anything other than unquestioning support for Israeli actions, such that most members of the U.S. Congress are, literally, far more willing to question and oppose American military actions than Israel's military actions (the establishment discussion rules are virtually identical to those that prevailed in the pre-Iraq-war days, though even more rigidly enforced: one can question the efficacy of the Israeli attack from the perspective of Israeli interests, but may not question its morality, legality or justifiability)

(more on the site)

.........

One can only pray and hope there will be some real peace initiatives soon that can find a basis for some kind of relief for everyone involved in this tragedy.

Thank you again Dennis - You ARE the man!

[High Plains]

5. One US representative not representing Tel Aviv.

The rest?

[FourScore]

6. kick

[slipslidingaway]

7. Called my rep, we need to take an even-handed approach...

http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/mcapdir.html

OFFICIAL LIST
OF THE MEMBERS OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
of the UNITED STATES
ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS
January 7, 2009

[slipslidingaway]

8. kick n/t

[malaise]

9. Go Dennis n/t

[grassfed]

10. HOW TO SUPPORT THE KUCINICH RESOLUTION

Last Friday, the House of Representatives voted 390 yes, 5 no, and 22 present to pass H.Res.34, “recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself” and “reaffirming the United States strong support for Israel.”

Last Thursday, the Senate voted on a similarly worded resolution, S.Res.10, which passed by unanimous consent.

TAKE ACTION

1. Call your Representative NOW at 202-224-3121. Thank your Representative if he/she voted “no” or “present” on H.Res.43. and ask her/him to cosponsor Rep. Kucinich’s resolution. If your representative voted “yes” on H.Res.43., then express your disagreement with the vote and ask them to cosponsor the Kucinich resolution.

2. Call your Senators NOW at 202-224-3121. Express your disagreement with your Senators’ vote on S.Res.10 and ask them to introduce a resolution in the Senate similar to Rep. Kucinich’s resolution in the House.

3. Get your organization to endorse Rep. Kucinich’s resolution. Organizations wishing to endorse Rep. Kucinich’s resolution should send their endorsement directly to his Congressional office by emailing [e-mail] . Let’s make sure that Rep. Kucinich knows that hundreds of organizations support his legislative effort.

4. Join us for a conference briefing call on Thursday, January 15, 9PM Eastern to discuss our next legislative steps. To RSVP for the call and to get call-in info and an agenda, send your name, city, and organizational affiliation (if any), to us by emailing [e-mail] .

5. Let us know what the offices of your Members of Congress are saying. Let us know how your call went and how the offices of Members of Congress are responding to your concerns. Send us your name, the Congressional offices you contacted, and their feedback to us by clicking here.

In addition to contacting Congress, we have many ideas for action that you can take to demand an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access to the occupied Gaza Strip. For more information, email [e-mail] .

[LWolf]

11. K & R nt

[Rosa Luxemburg]

12. At least Dennis is not afraid

he is not afraid to say what he thinks

[chill_wind]

13. K&R. Now whereis(the rest of)myparty?

[FourScore]

16. I like that.

Maybe I'll have to change to that.

[chill_wind]

17. :-)

:hi:

[MadHound]

14. Once again, Kucinich is doing the right thing

Shame that we don't have more people like him in Washington. Shame that one of the very few who has been on the right side of the issue, no matter the issue, for the past decade is considered to be a nutcase or a kook. That tells a lot about the American electorate, and none of it's good.

[slipslidingaway]

15. Kick n/t