- United States
- N.Y.
- Letter
Reject Gaza Occupation, Uphold Palestinian Rights and Self-Determination
To: Sen. Schumer
From: A verified voter in New York, NY
February 5
This plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza and permanently occupy the territory is an egregious violation of human rights and international law. It represents a dangerous escalation of aggressive policies towards the Palestinian people, stripping them of their homeland and self-determination. As an influential lawmaker who has long advocated for Israel's security interests, you have a pivotal role to play in rejecting this blatant act of colonialism and upholding principles of justice and self-governance for all peoples. The Gaza Strip is home to nearly 2 million Palestinians, the majority of whom are refugees or descendants of refugees displaced from their ancestral lands during the 1948 Nakba. Forcibly transferring this population would constitute a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. Furthermore, the idea of the U.S. unilaterally seizing sovereign territory sets a deeply troubling precedent that violates the foundations of the international rules-based order. I urge you to speak out forcefully against this unconscionable proposal and make clear that such wanton disregard for Palestinian rights is unacceptable. The path to a just and lasting peace requires respecting the human dignity and political rights of both peoples, not perpetuating cycles of oppression and displacement against an occupied population. Stand on the side of universal human rights, international law, and the just resolution of this conflict based on equality and self-determination for all.