STOP ASKING AND START DOING – CEASEFIRE NOW

PETITION CLOSED

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1/9 Petition to Biden & U.S. Congress

Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent trip to Israel has already proved to be absolutely useless. Raising the “absolute imperative” for Israel to do more to protect Palestinian civilians and allow humanitarian aid in is completely insufficient. How many times has the world nicely asked for this? We’re approaching day 100 of this genocide, and the best our country can do is send the same man who is being sued in our courts for aiding and abetting the genocide?

As of 1/9, 23,200 – 36,600 Palestinians have been murdered in Gaza since 10/7. Just in the last 24 hours during Blinken’s visit, 126 Palestinians had been killed and 241 wounded by Israel. Every day you and the rest of my government do nothing, the unspeakable acts of this genocide continue. This is Blinken’s fault for violating Leahy law and other laws meant to keep the U.S. from complicity in acts of human rights violations. This is your fault for doing absolutely nothing. Change that today.

I demand that you: 

– Call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the West Bank, and all areas the Israeli military is murdering or otherwise violating the human rights of Palestinians

– Call for the immediate end of genocide, apartheid, and occupation, and support Palestinians in their fight for freedom, peace, and their human rights

– Call for the immediate release of Palestinian “prisoners” (hostages) held captive in Israeli military prisons

– Permanently end all monetary and military aid given to Israel by correcting our budget and enforcing Leahy Law

– Reallocate all funds given to Israel to ongoing humanitarian relief for Palestinians to help them rebuild, care for the sick & injured, bury the dead with dignity, and ensure all of their basic needs are taken care of

– Repeal all federal anti-BDS laws and pass legislation that voids all state-level anti-BDS laws

– Restore my right to free speech and the freedom of the press by condemning all discrimination or harassment for criticizing any government or political ideology (including zionism) and by doing everything possible to prevent future assaults to my rights, including governmental control and/or censorship of the Internet

– Stop the militarization of our police by ending all cross-training done with the Israeli military, ceasing the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, and all other ways this is accomplished

– Pass legislation that prohibits any governmental action that would target any ethnic, religious, or other minority group (including Palestinians), either in the U.S. or abroad, by restricting humanitarian or financial aid, infringing on their human rights, or other actions that would otherwise bring harm or cause undue burdens on said groups

SOURCES

Reuters “Blinken brings Arab message to Israel: keep hope of Palestinian state alive

Estimated deaths as of 1/4 – 1/9 from multiple sources*

Al Jazeera quotes 23,210 dead as of 1/9/24. Al Jazeera always includes the most up-to-date official death tolls on their Breaking/live updates page. Because the daily live pages are refreshed so frequently for each new day, I can’t link you to a specific date. You can always check the Breaking/live section on their site for the most recent official numbers.

EuroMed Monitor quotes an estimated 30,676 dead shown on an infographic posted on their Instagram (link to post) as of 1/4/24. Their website has past infographics, but does not currently have this newest one included as of writing this blog post. This is not unusual- I believe they first post on social media and then add to the infographic section of their site later. Prior infographics posted on Instagram and then shown on their site have the exact same figures & data.

*Why are multiple sources used for the death count?

Associated Press “Gaza health officials say they lost the ability to count dead as Israeli offensive intensifies

The situation in Gaza has only gotten worse since the AP published this article on 11/21. The official numbers we are seeing from Gaza’s Ministry of Health are undercounted, and have been since at least 11/21.

EuroMed Monitor is a NGO established in 2011 that advocates for the human rights of all persons across Europe and the MENA region. They have a regional office in the Palestinian Occupied Territories. I believe their estimates are credible which is why I quote them, and will continue to, when referring to the estimated death toll.

My personal opinion is that the true number is even higher than estimated- people are dying from starvation, thirst, infections, and illnesses. Even if the genocide ended this moment, these types of deaths will unfortunately continue for some time. I believe their deaths should be counted. They may not have been shot/bombed/etc. by the Israeli military, but their deaths are directly attributable to the total siege, occupation, and intentional** destruction of civilian, water, waste management, and medical infrastructure by Israel.

**Why are you accusing Israel of intentionally destroying important infrastructure and targeting civilians?

It’s not an accusation. They’ve admitted to it.

The Guardian “‘The Gospel’: how Israel uses AI to select bombing targets in Gaza

972 Magazine “‘A mass assassination factory’: Inside Israel’s calculated bombing of Gaza

Defense for Children International-Palestine v. Biden Court Documents & Press Releases*

DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL – PALESTINE; AL-HAQ, AHMED ABU ARTEMA; MOHAMMED AHMED ABU ROKBEH; MOHAMMAD HERZALLAH; A.N.; LAILA ELHADDAD; WAEIL ELBHASSI; BASIM ELKARRA; and DR. OMAR EL-NAJJAR Plaintiffs, v. JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States, ANTONY J. BLINKEN, Secretary of State, LLOYD JAMES AUSTIN III, Secretary of Defense, in their official capacities, Defendants

Center for Constitutional Rights “Palestinians Sue Biden for Failure to Prevent Genocide, Seek Emergency Order to Stop Military and Diplomatic Support for Israeli Government’s Assault on Gaza

Center for Constitutional Rights “Defense for Children International – Palestine v. Biden Overview

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Attorney for Plaintiffs DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL – PALESTINE, et al. “PLAINTIFFS’ REPLY IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND OPPOSITION TO MOTION TO DISMISS

Center for Constitutional Rights “New Filings in Gaza Genocide Lawsuit: Palestinians Refute Biden Admin Arguments That Court Cannot Review Its Role in Furthering Israel’s Genocide

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Attorney for Plaintiffs DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL – PALESTINE, et al. “DECLARATION OF JOSH PAUL IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Attorney for Plaintiffs DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL – PALESTINE, et al. “DECLARATION OF LAILA ELHADDAD IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Attorney for Plaintiffs DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL – PALESTINE, et al. “DECLARATION OF A.N. IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Attorney for Plaintiffs DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL – PALESTINE, et al. “DECLARATION OF BASIM ELKARRA IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Attorney for Plaintiffs DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL – PALESTINE, et al. “DECLARATION OF WAEIL ELBHASSI IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Attorney for Plaintiffs DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL – PALESTINE, et al. “DECLARATION OF OMAR AL-NAJJAR IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Attorney for Plaintiffs DEFENSE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL – PALESTINE, et al. “DECLARATION OF DR SUSAN POWER, FOR AL-HAQ IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

Center for Constitutional Rights “Civil and Human Rights Orgs, Legal Groups Back Palestinians’ Suit Charging Biden With Complicity in Gaza Genocide

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, AMICI BRIEF OF ADC ET AL. IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS “[PPROPOSED] BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE AMERICAN-ARAB ANTIDISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE, ARAB RESOURCE & ORGANIZING CENTER, COUNCIL ON AMERICAN ISLAMIC RELATIONS, CALIFORNIA, AND ARAB-AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS LEAGUE IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, AMICI BRIEF OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS “[PROPOSED] BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, AMICI BRIEF OF MEDICAL DOCTORS IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS “[PROPOSED] BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE MEDICAL DOCTORS IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, AMICI BRIEF OF PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS’ SYNDICATE IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS “[PROPOSED] BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS’ SYNDICATE IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS

United States District Court for the Northern District of California, AMICI BRIEF OF AMICUS BRIEF OF A JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE, INC. IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS “[PROPOSED] BRIEF OF AMICUS CURIAE A JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE, INC. IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND IN OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS

*This is not a comprehensive list court documents for this case since it was filed 11/13/23. This list will be updated as I review more documents as they become available. I am using a synced pattern in WordPress to copy & save these sources for future use, so it’s possible if you are reading this post after it was posted, there could be documents included that are dated after.

Leahy Law, WRSA-I & Israel’s Gross Human Rights Violations*

U.S. Department of State “About the Leahy Law – FACT SHEET

U.S. Department of State “PP410 INTRODUCTION TO LEAHY VETTING POLICY

U.S. Department of State “2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Israel, West Bank and Gaza

U.S. Congressional Research Report “Global Human Rights: Security Forces Vetting (“Leahy Laws”)

U.S. Congressional Research Report “Defense Primer: Department of Defense Pre-Positioned Materiel

U.S. Congressional Research Report “Israel and Hamas 2023 Conflict In Brief: Overview, U.S. Policy, and Options for Congress

U.S. Congressional Research Report “Israel and Hamas October 2023 Conflict: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

U.S. Congressional Research Report “Israel: Major Issues and U.S. Relations

Save The Children’s 2023 report “Injustice: Palestinian children’s experience of the Israeli military detention system

Statement Submitted to the Human Rights Council by Organization for Defending Victims of Violence and Khiam Rehabilitation Center (A/HRC/51/NGO/132): “Gross Violations of the Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law by Israel in Palestinian Territories

Human Rights Watch’s 2021 report “A Threshold Crossed – Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution

U.N. Human Rights Council Special Report 2022 “Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Israel has imposed upon Palestine an apartheid reality in a post-apartheid world

Amnesty International “Defending the rule of law, enforcing apartheid – the double life of Israel’s judiciary

Haaretz “Communications Minister Threatens Haaretz, Suggests Penalizing Its Gaza War Coverage

Human Rights Watch “Israeli Authorities’ Cutting of Water Leading to Public Health Crisis in Gaza

AA “Israeli airstrike hits Gaza water reservoir supplying Rafah neighborhoods

World Health Organization “WHO appeals for protection of the health system from further attacks and degradation of its capacity

World Food Programme “Statement by WFP Deputy Executive Director after visit to Gaza

Public Committee Against Torture in Israel “War Crimes in the Interrogation Chamber: The Israeli Systematic Policy of Torture, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment, Unlawful Deportation, and Denial of Fair Trial of Palestinian Detainees

Public Committee Against Torture in Israel “KILLING AT UMM AL-HIRAN

Journal of Ethics, Medicine and Public Health Volume 18, September 2021 “Police violence in Israel towards people with mental disabilities

B’Tselem The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories “Home Demolition as Collective Punishment

B’Tselem The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories “Settler Violence = State Violence

B’Tselem The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories “Torture and Abuse in Interrogation

B’Tselem The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories “Water Crisis

B’Tselem The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories “B’Tselem calls for ceasefire in Gaza Strip

B’Tselem The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories “Israeli organizations to President Biden: stop the humanitarian catastrophe

B’Tselem The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories “The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is not a side effect. It is the policy

The Guardian “‘The Gospel’: how Israel uses AI to select bombing targets in Gaza

972 Magazine “‘A mass assassination factory’: Inside Israel’s calculated bombing of Gaza

CI Rights ”Human Rights Datasets

CI Rights ”Global Human Rights Grades 2023

Reuters “White House ‘concerned’ at reports Israel used white phosphorus in Lebanon attack

Amnesty International “Lebanon: Evidence of Israel’s unlawful use of white phosphorus in southern Lebanon as cross-border hostilities escalate

Washington Post “Israel appears to use white phosphorus in Gaza, video shows

Human Rights Watch “Israel: White Phosphorus Used in Gaza, Lebanon

Human Rights Watch (2009) “Rain of Fire – Israel’s Unlawful Use of White Phosphorus in Gaza

The Guardian “US admits using white phosphorus in Falluja

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health “Birth Defects in Gaza: Prevalence, Types, Familiarity and Correlation with Environmental Factors

The Lancet “Structural birth defects in the Gaza Strip, occupied Palestinian territory: a cohort study

Al Jazeera “Did the US cause Fallujah’s birth defects?

Al Jazeera “Fallujah babies: Under a new kind of siege

The Independent “Toxic munitions ‘may be cause’ of baby deaths and deformities in Fallujah

Conflict and Health “Birth defects in Iraq and the plausibility of environmental exposure: A review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health “Long Term Risks to Neonatal Health from Exposure to War—9 Years Long Survey of Reproductive Health and Contamination by Weapon-Delivered Heavy Metals in Gaza, Palestine

The Guardian “Research links rise in Falluja birth defects and cancers to US assault

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry “Effects of White Phosphorus on Mallard Reproduction

*This is not a comprehensive list of gross human rights violations committed by Israel ever, nor all since 10/7. This list will be updated as more credible information is compiled. I am using a synced pattern in WordPress to copy & save these sources for future use, so it’s possible if you are viewing this after the date of this post there could be sources included that are dated after.

U.S. Congressional Resolutions & Bills (both passed and proposed)*

U.S. House “H.Res.346 – Reaffirming the support of the United States to our strongest ally in the region, Israel, and recognizing the authoritarian and extremist regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a threat to Israel, the region, the United States, and global stability.

U.S. House “S.Res.445 – A resolution recognizing the importance of the economic relationship between the United States and Israel and affirming that trade facilitated by the United States-Israel Free Trade Agreement is a tool to support the economy of Israel during the conflict with Hamas.

U.S. House “H.Res.796 – Condemning foreign nationals in the United States who have endorsed and espoused the actions of foreign terrorist organizations (FTO) in Gaza who, on October 7, 2023, launched attacks against the State of Israel, and killed innocent Israeli and United States citizens;.

U.S. House “H.Res.845 – Censuring Representative Rashida Tlaib for promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and for calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.

U.S. House “H.Res.888 – Reaffirming the State of Israel’s right to exist.

U.S. House “H.Res.894 – Strongly condemning and denouncing the drastic rise of antisemitism in the United States and around the world.

U.S. House “H.R.6113 – Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023

U.S. House “H.R.6126 – Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024

U.S. House & Senate “H.Con.Res.57 – Expressing the sense of Congress supporting the State of Israel.

U.S. House & Senate “S.510 – Expediting Israeli Aerial Refueling Act of 2023

U.S. Senate “S.Res.417 – A resolution standing with Israel against terrorism.

*This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. In future petitions referring to legislation both proposed and passed, I will continue to update with more important resolutions and/or bills I find. This list will be updated as more credible information is compiled. I am using a synced pattern in WordPress to copy & save these sources for future use, so it’s possible if you are viewing this after the date of this post there could be sources included that are dated after.


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