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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact: Email:,info@codepink.org,Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK co-founder:,medea@codepink.org,Jodie Evans, national media coordinator, (310) 621-5635

Muslim Women and CODEPINK to Deliver White Roses to Obama Hotel

Urge Obama to call for ceasefire on Gaza attacks

WASHINGTON

To plea with President-elect Barack Obama to speak out against
Israel's war on Gaza, CODEPINK and Muslim women will deliver a flood of
white roses at 12 p.m. Friday to Obama's Washington, DC hotel, the
Hay-Adams Hotel at 16th and H Streets NW.

WHAT: CODEPINK, Muslim women deliver white roses to Obama's DC hotel, plea for ceasefire
WHEN: 12 p.m. Jan. 9 - TOMORROW
WHERE: Begin at 16th and H Streets NW (across from the Hay-Adams Hotel where Obama will be staying)
Speakers: Anisa Abd el Fattah, chairwoman, National Association of Muslim American Women

Mary Kate Chaath, Palestinian-American
Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK co-founder
Moderated by Gael Murphy, CODEPINK

They will host a press conference outside the hotel with their
message, "Please do not be silent. The children of Gaza need your help."

Of
the 600 Palestinians killed in the attacks of the past 13 days, one in
five have been children. Obama has been made no condemnation of the
massacre, nor a call for an immediate ceasefire.

The white rose plea to Obama to speak out harkens back to the White
Rose Society -- the World War II non-violent resistance group in Germany
--
a tiny band of college students and their professor adopted the motto
"We will not be silent" and exposed what they saw and knew was
happening around them.

"We must push Obama to show moral leadership and truly be the peace
president the American people elected," said Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK
co-founder.

Following the press conference, the women will
gather in front of the White House and march at 1 p.m. to Upper Senate
Park on Capitol Hill for a rally from 2 to 4 p.m. The march and rally
are organized by the National Association of Muslim American Women.

CODEPINK will also sell white roses through its Web site for people
to send to Obama and is asking its members to contact Obama's
transition team at 1-202-540-3000 (x 2) to ask for an immediate
ceasefire and massive humanitarian aid to the civilians.

For information about the action, please call Medea Benjamin at
415-235-6517. To learn more about the current crisis in Gaza, click here.

CODEPINK is a women-led grassroots organization working to end U.S. wars and militarism, support peace and human rights initiatives, and redirect our tax dollars into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming programs.

(818) 275-7232