Women Cross DMZ Statement on Israel-Palestine
October 17, 2023
Posted in: Press Releases
As a feminist peace organization that advocates for ending war and militarism, we mourn for the Israelis and Palestinians who have been needlessly killed, oppose violence against civilians, and condemn the collective punishment that Israel is inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza. We join global calls for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire, an end to violence in Israel and occupied Palestine, and the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.
As advocates for peace in Korea, we know that violence leads to suffering and deep, lasting trauma, especially for those made most vulnerable in society. True peace can only be achieved by addressing the root causes of violence and tensions, and ensuring justice, equality, and freedom for all people. In this case, it means ending the apartheid system that Israel has imposed — with the backing of the U.S. government — on Palestinians for 75 years. The U.S. government provides $3.8 billion annually in military aid to Israel, which it uses to forcibly remove Palestinians from their land. Furthermore, we denounce the racist, Islamophobic backlash against Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims in the U.S., including the tragic stabbing death of six-year-old Palestinian American Wadea Al Fayoume. As an organization based in the U.S., we recognize the foreign and domestic consequences of aggressive militarized policy, which leads to brutal consequences and more violence far beyond Israel and Palestine.
We urge the U.S. government, as the most powerful supporter of Israel, to call for a ceasefire, to stop sending military aid to Israel, and to pursue policies that end the occupation so that Palestinians and Israelis can peacefully coexist.
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