1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

It is a grave situation that has compelled me, an ordinary citizen, to pen down this pressing plea for peace. Every day, we are bombarded with shocking images and devastating news of escalating violence, innocent life lost, and a growing humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is our moral duty as humans, first and foremost, to urge the cessation of hostilities and demand an immediate ceasefire. The conflicts are not about religion, land, or power anymore, but about the loss of humanity. It must cease not tomorrow, not later, but now! While I understand the complexity of international relations, what I fail to comprehend is the U.S. funding that aids Israel's actions against Palestinian civilians. It feels as though we are financing a war that we have no stake in, and in doing so, unwittingly contributing to the stations of suffering and destruction that populate the evening news. The continuance of these policies is nothing less than an endorsement of bloodshed. Money and weapons are no substitutes for dialogue and diplomacy, and it is high time we realized it. And so I write, not demanding a radical restructuring of policy, but an urgent reevaluation of our role in the conflict. We must stand together against the perpetration of crimes against humanity, no matter where they are committed. It is high time we epitomize the values we so vociferously espouse: justice, equality, and the right to life. We must lead by example, cease the sending of arms, and instead, send the message that peace is the only viable way forward. The cost of silent complicity is far too great; it is a price tag adorned with the lives of innocent civilians, and we can no longer afford to pay it.