1. United States
2. Letter

We are at a crucial point in history, a precipice if you will, where the actions we take today will shape the moral landscape of our world for generations to come. Yet, it is profoundly distressing to see the United States, a country renowned as a beacon of freedom and humanity, actively partaking in and funding actions that raise serious humanitarian concerns. One particularly glaring instance is the substantial financial and military support extended to Israel, which is deployed, all too often, in developing tense conflicts and exacerbating hardships for Palestinian civilians. These are not the principles upon which our nation was built, and it is certainly not the symbol we wish to leave for posterity. Through the lens of moral clarity, one cannot ignore the countless infringements on basic human rights recurrently witnessed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Actions such as the demolition of homes, the restriction of access to basic necessities, and non-combatant casualties are diametrically opposed to the core values we are taught to uphold as global citizens. It is disheartening to see our tax dollars allocated to support measures that assault the very essence of human rights and decency. It is incumbent upon us to chart a different course—one of peace, empathy, and justice. Whereas we must unequivocally denounce any form of violence exercised by any party involved, it is more crucial to scrutinize and reevaluate our own role in these conflicts. Instruments of war do not beget peace. They further alienate us from the path of dialogue, understanding, and collective magnanimity. It is an urgent appeal to cease our material and ideological endorsement of actions complicit in the suffering of innocents, and instead redirect our resources and influence towards cultivating a climate of mutual respect and reconciliation. Custodians of democracy such as ourselves must take decisive steps to uphold the sanctity of human life above all else, and vehemently oppose the perpetration of crimes against humanity, no matter the context. We must pave the way for a world where justice thrives and the dignity of all is respected.