Thank you for calling on the USA to pressure Israel to end its systematic violations against Palestinians

(Photo credit: Youssef Massoud/AFP via Getty Images)

Thank you for calling on the USA to take responsibility and pressure Israel to end and redress its systematic violations against Palestinians. Over 5,000 actions were taken urging Secretary of State Blinken to intervene to end the violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. By adding your voice, you helped apply pressure on the USA and crucially raised awareness of Israel's deplorable record of unlawfully killing and injuring thousands of civilians, displacing tens of thousands, and destroying homes, businesses and infrastructure in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 

Over the years, forced displacement of Palestinians has not only been facilitated but normalised by other governments - sometimes in the name of "peace". It's time we call out #Israel's actions for what they really are, and demand accountability.https://t.co/CUiXoN226V

— Amnesty UK (@AmnestyUK) May 12, 2021

What's been happening? 

Following 11 days of deadly hostilities, which left 232 people dead in Gaza and 12 people dead in Israel, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on 21 May 2021. We have seen over and over again that a ceasefire alone will not obtain justice for victims on either side.

A ceasefire shouldn’t mean returning to an unacceptable status quo.

Unless root causes like the illegal blockade of Gaza, impunity & longstanding dispossession and discrimination of Palestinians are addressed, it is likely there will be another round of civilian deaths & destruction.

As Israel's closest ally, the US has a responsibility to pressure Israel to end and redress its systematic violations against Palestinians.

The US government must leverage this power by publicly denouncing:

1. all settlements and their ongoing expansion
2. the blockade of Gaza
3. Institutionalised discrimination against Palestinians