Protesters demand a cease-fire in Philadelphia's 30th Street Station.
The Majority of Americans Want a Cease-Fire in Gaza; Elected Officials Should Listen
The U.S. must stop funding this assault, which will only lead to the loss of more Palestinian and Israeli lives—and exacerbate the rising Islamophobia and antisemitism that have no place in our society.
Two years ago, filmmaker Mohannad Abu Rizk asked children in Gaza about their dreams. One young girl responded, “My dream is for us to stay alive and to live in peace. We have a right to stay alive.”
She’s one of the 2.2 million Palestinians living in the densely populated Gaza Strip under a 56-year Israeli occupation—and a 16-year blockade that deprives them of food, water, electricity, and freedom of movement. International rights groups now classify it as an apartheid system.
She’s also one of the Palestinians Israeli officials called “human animals” and “children of darkness” as bombs fell on Gaza. It’s unclear if this girl with the big, soulful brown eyes is still alive, but about half of the over 10,000 Gazans killed by the Israeli military are children.
Despite efforts to smear and silence them, people are standing up for basic human dignity.
All human lives are precious. The murder of over a thousand Israelis by Hamas on October 7 was a heinous crime. Israeli families deserve justice and the safe return of their loved ones held hostage. But indiscriminately bombing and collectively punishing Palestinian civilians—who are neither synonymous with Hamas nor responsible for their crimes—accomplishes neither.
For most Americans, that’s not a controversial opinion. In a recent survey, 66% of Americans supported an immediate cease-fire as a step toward peace and justice for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Unfortunately, our elected officials aren’t listening—yet.
Instead of backing a cease-fire, President Joe Biden requested $14.3 billion in military assistance to Israel above the $3.8 billion taxpayers already send each year. And when a few House Democrats, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), called for a cease-fire in October, the White House press secretary didn’t hold back: “We believe they’re repugnant and we believe they’re disgraceful.”
The GOP rhetoric has been even more repulsive. Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) compared “innocent Palestinians” to “innocent Nazis” while Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) called for Gaza to be “eviscerated” and “turned into a parking lot.” Instead of working for peace, House Republicans have focused their energies on a bad faith censure of Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress.
This dehumanizing and dangerous rhetoric fuels hate crimes that have escalated against Arab and Muslim Americans since October 7—including the murder of 6-year-old Palestinian American Wadea Al-Fayoume and the attempted murder of his mother in Illinois. Recently, a Muslim student at Stanford was hospitalized after being struck by a car in a suspected hate crime.
The war’s reverberations can also be felt in the chilling climate of fear and repression that painfully reminds Arab Americans and Muslims like myself of the days following the 9/11 attacks. College students have faced doxxing and harassment for signing statements supporting Palestinians or criticizing the Israeli government. Others have lost job offers.
But despite efforts to smear and silence them, people are standing up for basic human dignity. Tens of thousands of Americans marched in Washington, D.C. on November 4 to support a cease-fire. The movement for a cease-fire continues to grow around the country.
Veteran State Department official Josh Paul resigned in protest on October 17, calling the U.S. rush to supply Israel with more arms “shortsighted, destructive, unjust, and contradictory to the very values that we publicly espouse.” And over 400 congressional staffers signed a statement demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.
Gaza is facing a humanitarian catastrophe. There is no food, water, or safety. Many experts have warned that a likely genocide is underway. The U.S. must stop funding this assault, which will only lead to the loss of more Palestinian and Israeli lives—and exacerbate the rising Islamophobia and antisemitism that have no place in our society.
Our elected officials must listen to the majority of American people who are demanding peace so that Palestinians can live freely, instead of dreaming about it.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Two years ago, filmmaker Mohannad Abu Rizk asked children in Gaza about their dreams. One young girl responded, “My dream is for us to stay alive and to live in peace. We have a right to stay alive.”
She’s one of the 2.2 million Palestinians living in the densely populated Gaza Strip under a 56-year Israeli occupation—and a 16-year blockade that deprives them of food, water, electricity, and freedom of movement. International rights groups now classify it as an apartheid system.
She’s also one of the Palestinians Israeli officials called “human animals” and “children of darkness” as bombs fell on Gaza. It’s unclear if this girl with the big, soulful brown eyes is still alive, but about half of the over 10,000 Gazans killed by the Israeli military are children.
Despite efforts to smear and silence them, people are standing up for basic human dignity.
All human lives are precious. The murder of over a thousand Israelis by Hamas on October 7 was a heinous crime. Israeli families deserve justice and the safe return of their loved ones held hostage. But indiscriminately bombing and collectively punishing Palestinian civilians—who are neither synonymous with Hamas nor responsible for their crimes—accomplishes neither.
For most Americans, that’s not a controversial opinion. In a recent survey, 66% of Americans supported an immediate cease-fire as a step toward peace and justice for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Unfortunately, our elected officials aren’t listening—yet.
Instead of backing a cease-fire, President Joe Biden requested $14.3 billion in military assistance to Israel above the $3.8 billion taxpayers already send each year. And when a few House Democrats, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), called for a cease-fire in October, the White House press secretary didn’t hold back: “We believe they’re repugnant and we believe they’re disgraceful.”
The GOP rhetoric has been even more repulsive. Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) compared “innocent Palestinians” to “innocent Nazis” while Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) called for Gaza to be “eviscerated” and “turned into a parking lot.” Instead of working for peace, House Republicans have focused their energies on a bad faith censure of Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress.
This dehumanizing and dangerous rhetoric fuels hate crimes that have escalated against Arab and Muslim Americans since October 7—including the murder of 6-year-old Palestinian American Wadea Al-Fayoume and the attempted murder of his mother in Illinois. Recently, a Muslim student at Stanford was hospitalized after being struck by a car in a suspected hate crime.
The war’s reverberations can also be felt in the chilling climate of fear and repression that painfully reminds Arab Americans and Muslims like myself of the days following the 9/11 attacks. College students have faced doxxing and harassment for signing statements supporting Palestinians or criticizing the Israeli government. Others have lost job offers.
But despite efforts to smear and silence them, people are standing up for basic human dignity. Tens of thousands of Americans marched in Washington, D.C. on November 4 to support a cease-fire. The movement for a cease-fire continues to grow around the country.
Veteran State Department official Josh Paul resigned in protest on October 17, calling the U.S. rush to supply Israel with more arms “shortsighted, destructive, unjust, and contradictory to the very values that we publicly espouse.” And over 400 congressional staffers signed a statement demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.
Gaza is facing a humanitarian catastrophe. There is no food, water, or safety. Many experts have warned that a likely genocide is underway. The U.S. must stop funding this assault, which will only lead to the loss of more Palestinian and Israeli lives—and exacerbate the rising Islamophobia and antisemitism that have no place in our society.
Our elected officials must listen to the majority of American people who are demanding peace so that Palestinians can live freely, instead of dreaming about it.
- 'Let Gaza Live!': A Month Into Israeli War, Massive US Protests Demand Cease-Fire ›
- The Real Reason Behind Israel's Routine Violence Against Palestinians ›
- House Progressives to Biden: Pressure Israel to End Assault on Gaza Civilians ›
- Thousands of Jewish Americans and Allies Demand Cease-Fire in Gaza ›
- 'Not In Our Name!' Hundreds Arrested at US Capitol as Jewish-Led Protest Demands Gaza Cease-Fire ›
- Two-Thirds of American Voters Want US to Back Cease-Fire in Gaza ›
Two years ago, filmmaker Mohannad Abu Rizk asked children in Gaza about their dreams. One young girl responded, “My dream is for us to stay alive and to live in peace. We have a right to stay alive.”
She’s one of the 2.2 million Palestinians living in the densely populated Gaza Strip under a 56-year Israeli occupation—and a 16-year blockade that deprives them of food, water, electricity, and freedom of movement. International rights groups now classify it as an apartheid system.
She’s also one of the Palestinians Israeli officials called “human animals” and “children of darkness” as bombs fell on Gaza. It’s unclear if this girl with the big, soulful brown eyes is still alive, but about half of the over 10,000 Gazans killed by the Israeli military are children.
Despite efforts to smear and silence them, people are standing up for basic human dignity.
All human lives are precious. The murder of over a thousand Israelis by Hamas on October 7 was a heinous crime. Israeli families deserve justice and the safe return of their loved ones held hostage. But indiscriminately bombing and collectively punishing Palestinian civilians—who are neither synonymous with Hamas nor responsible for their crimes—accomplishes neither.
For most Americans, that’s not a controversial opinion. In a recent survey, 66% of Americans supported an immediate cease-fire as a step toward peace and justice for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Unfortunately, our elected officials aren’t listening—yet.
Instead of backing a cease-fire, President Joe Biden requested $14.3 billion in military assistance to Israel above the $3.8 billion taxpayers already send each year. And when a few House Democrats, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), called for a cease-fire in October, the White House press secretary didn’t hold back: “We believe they’re repugnant and we believe they’re disgraceful.”
The GOP rhetoric has been even more repulsive. Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) compared “innocent Palestinians” to “innocent Nazis” while Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) called for Gaza to be “eviscerated” and “turned into a parking lot.” Instead of working for peace, House Republicans have focused their energies on a bad faith censure of Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress.
This dehumanizing and dangerous rhetoric fuels hate crimes that have escalated against Arab and Muslim Americans since October 7—including the murder of 6-year-old Palestinian American Wadea Al-Fayoume and the attempted murder of his mother in Illinois. Recently, a Muslim student at Stanford was hospitalized after being struck by a car in a suspected hate crime.
The war’s reverberations can also be felt in the chilling climate of fear and repression that painfully reminds Arab Americans and Muslims like myself of the days following the 9/11 attacks. College students have faced doxxing and harassment for signing statements supporting Palestinians or criticizing the Israeli government. Others have lost job offers.
But despite efforts to smear and silence them, people are standing up for basic human dignity. Tens of thousands of Americans marched in Washington, D.C. on November 4 to support a cease-fire. The movement for a cease-fire continues to grow around the country.
Veteran State Department official Josh Paul resigned in protest on October 17, calling the U.S. rush to supply Israel with more arms “shortsighted, destructive, unjust, and contradictory to the very values that we publicly espouse.” And over 400 congressional staffers signed a statement demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.
Gaza is facing a humanitarian catastrophe. There is no food, water, or safety. Many experts have warned that a likely genocide is underway. The U.S. must stop funding this assault, which will only lead to the loss of more Palestinian and Israeli lives—and exacerbate the rising Islamophobia and antisemitism that have no place in our society.
Our elected officials must listen to the majority of American people who are demanding peace so that Palestinians can live freely, instead of dreaming about it.
- 'Let Gaza Live!': A Month Into Israeli War, Massive US Protests Demand Cease-Fire ›
- The Real Reason Behind Israel's Routine Violence Against Palestinians ›
- House Progressives to Biden: Pressure Israel to End Assault on Gaza Civilians ›
- Thousands of Jewish Americans and Allies Demand Cease-Fire in Gaza ›
- 'Not In Our Name!' Hundreds Arrested at US Capitol as Jewish-Led Protest Demands Gaza Cease-Fire ›
- Two-Thirds of American Voters Want US to Back Cease-Fire in Gaza ›