Take Action Now to Stop the Crisis in Lebanon and Gaza

We, the undersigned, strongly urge the U.S. Congress to call up the United States to immediately introduce a resolution before the U.N. Security Council demanding that Israel halt its attacks on Palestine and Lebanon.





Israeli bombs and shells have killed more than 100 Lebanese civilians in the last few days and more than 89 Palestinians since June 25, 2006 while injuring hundreds more civilians in both countries;





Israel has bombed buses and cars carrying desperate civilians in Lebanon;





Israel has declared that no place is safe in Lebanon;





Israel has destroyed every road and bridge from the South to Beirut;





Israel has bombed the international highway between Damascus and Beirut as well as the airport and vital civilian infrastructure;





Israel has destroyed vital infrastructure including power plant, bridges and municipal


facilities in Gaza;





Israel has arrested and is detaining at least 65 elected Palestinian government officials;





Well before Israel's recent military incursion, Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank were already facing a lethal humanitarian crisis stemming from extensive shortages of food, medicine, clean drinking water, and lack of access to public utilitiesIsrael's admitted "starvation diet" campaign;





These Israeli crimes constitute collective punishment against both the Lebanese and Palestinian populations and are grave breaches of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention;





The U.S. veto of last weeks U.N. Security Council resolution to demand that Israel halt its attacks on Gaza encouraged and approved Israels continued assault on Gaza and paved the way for its deadly attacks on South Lebanon;





The U.S. and all High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention are obligated to respect and insure respect for the convention under all circumstances;





THUS, WE STRONGLY URGE THE U.S. CONGRESS TO CALL UPON THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AS A HIGH CONTRACTING PARTY TO HONOR ITS OBLIGATION UNDER THE FOURTH GENEVA CONVENTION AND HUMANITARIAN LAW BY INTRODUCING A RESOLUTION BEFORE THE SECURITY COUNCIL DEMANDING THAT ISRAEL CEASE ITS ATTACKS ON LEBANON AND PALESTINE AND THAT ISRAEL BE SANCTIONED FOR ITS GRAVE BREACHES.