Jul 25th, 2014
Gaza, Israel, over 800 deaths: what could we do?
By [email protected]
In the past 16 days of fighting in Israel and Gaza, 797 Palestinians and 33 Israelis have been killed and thousands more have been injured. The Israeli military is attacking a captive population in a strip of land a quarter of the size of London. Gaza’s rulers, Hamas, have fired over 2,100 rockets into Israel.
The war is over 2,300 miles away from the UK. The conflict is long, bloody and seemingly neverending. It’s easy to feel powerless.
But together, 38 Degrees members number 2.6 million now. As a movement, we stand for peace – and we’ve acted at moments of international crisis before.
Together, we could pressure the government to use their influence on the international stage to stop the fighting. Or we could add pressure to big multinationals to pull out of the area. Or we could raise money to help families and children on the ground. Or we could do nothing at all – or something else entirely.
Here’s some context:
– The new UK foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, has called for a swift ceasefire.
– Yesterday, the UN Human Rights Council voted to pass a resolution to investigate Israel for war crimes. The UK was one of 17 countries to abstain.
– International campaigning organisation Avaaz is pressuring big multinational companies to pull their investments out of Israel and Palestine.
– The British Red Cross has launched an appeal to fund emergency health care and repairs to water and sewage networks.
– The World Health Organisation has demanded a humanitarian corridor in Gaza.
– 38 Degrees members have started 7 campaigns and counting on Campaigns by You, including asking the government and UK companies to consider sanctions against Israel.:
SANCTION ISRAEL FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/
“We demand the British government & opposition immediately discusses sanctions on Israel, including withholding the billions of pounds of aid our country sends to Israel each year..”
BRING ISRAEL ACCOUNTABLE FOR WAR CRIMES & GENOCIDE IN GAZA
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/
“To use their power internationally be it at the UN or within the EU to use its position to bring the Israeli government accountable for the massacre in Gaza, Palestine… ”
STOP ISRAEL BOMBING CIVILIANS IN GAZA
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/
“Is there anything you can do to stop the Israeli army from bombing civilian families in Gaza? These are not military targets; children and innocent civilians should not be being targeted and killed in this war.”
SAY NO ORANGES FROM ISRAEL – HELP TO END THE NIGHTMARE
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/
Dear Sainsburys, Please consider your position on stocking oranges (and any other produce) from Israel. Israel’s invasion and blockade of Palestine is a contravention of human rights.
PHILIP HAMMOND TO DEMAND HALT TO ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS IN GAZA
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/
“Email Philip Hammond and ask him to urgently call the Israeli ambassador and demand that Israel halt attacks on civilians in Gaza…”
STOP ISRAEL NOW..! STOP THEM KILLING PEOPLE IN GAZA/PALESTINE
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/
“Provide the direct political intervention with world leaders political pressure to stop israel killing the peoples of Gaza, Palastine and the terrorisation and illegal occupation of Palastine.”
GOOGLE PUT PALESTINE BACK ON THE MAP PLEASE
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/
“Currently Google only has Israel on the map which includes Palestine – Gaza and The West Bank…”
What do you think? Join the conversation in the comments under this blog post.
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