The Arab American Civic Council (AACC) welcomes the long-awaited ceasefire deal in Gaza and commends the resilience and steadfastness of the Palestinians in Gaza who’ve endured unimaginable suffering. However, we are alarmed by Netanyahu’s decision to postpone signing the agreement as well as Israel’s intensified air strikes that killed 87 Palestinians since the announcement of the ceasefire deal on Wednesday, January 15th.
A ceasefire does not mark the end of a genocide. It is long overdue and is the bare minimum after 15 months of what Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the ICC have classified as genocide and ethnic cleansing. This unchecked abuse by the Israeli state has led to the destruction of more than 70% of the total housing, and the collapse of the entire health system in Gaza as hospitals, ambulances and shelters were indiscriminately bombed. The death toll continues to climb from the estimated 60,000 already killed due to the ongoing bombing, lack of basic necessities, food insecurity and unlivable conditions that result from a genocide and an 18 year long siege.
For 15 months, our community’s outcry against the onslaught in Gaza has been met with deafening silence by our Representatives in Congress and the Biden Administration. Hundreds of thousands marched the streets, students across the nation occupied campuses demanding divestment, and constituents in all districts across the U.S. met with their local representatives. Yet, the U.S. government ignored these demands, instead channeling billions of dollars to fund a war machine that perpetuates destruction and suffering.
The Arab American Civic Council is committed to building a movement stronger than our grief. We call on on our Representatives in Congress and the incoming Trump Administration to hold Israel accountable for its actions and ensure that the ceasefire leads to a sustainable peace process by meeting our demands:
- Put an end to U.S. military funding to Israel by enacting an immediate arms embargo, and ensure that U.S. military aid is contingent upon compliance with international humanitarian law and U.S. law (Leahy Law).
- Ensure full and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza through international aid organizations, and facilitate the delivery of essential humanitarian aid.
