"WE WANT TO EAT, WE WANT TO LIVE" - PERMANENT CEASEFIRE NOW

Today, 3/16, a starving Palestinian boy, in desperation, climbed an electricity pole to see over the fence at Rafah and pleaded to Egyptian soldiers "We want to eat, we want to live." There's a reason 29 leaders of major American Arab and Muslim community groups rejected a meeting with White House officials. You don't get to pretend to care with meaningless words and gestures while Palestinians are being starved to death by Israel. Americans across ages, ethnicities, religion, and party lines have been demanding a permanent, immediate ceasefire, the resumption of U.S. funding of UNRWA, and an end to all military, financial, and diplomatic aid and cover given to Israel. We are uniquely posed as THE world power that can stop this genocide immediately without violence. Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid funding, paid by my tax dollars, in economic and financial assistance. We've all seen the talking points circulated by AIPAC earlier this week on Capitol Hill. This is absurd and shameful - are you really going to continue to take money and direction from a foreign government? AIPAC's legislative strategy for OUR government includes abolishing the largest humanitarian relief organization capable of distributing aid in Gaza, UNRWA, revoking the minor sanctions placed on a select few Israeli terrorist settler-colonists, and providing Israel $14 billion MORE of my tax dollars without any conditions. I demand that you:  - Call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire - Call for the immediate end of Israel's occupation and apartheid and support Palestinians in their fight for freedom and peace - Hold Israel accountable for their violations of the Genocide Convention and all other international laws by any means necessary - Secure the immediate release and safety of all Palestinians who have been abducted and held captive by Israel, including those whose indefinite detention began prior to 10/7 - Permanently end all monetary, diplomatic, and military aid given to Israel and enforce Leahy Law - Reallocate all funds given to Israel and commit additional resources for ongoing humanitarian relief for Palestinians starting with immediately resuming funding of UNRWA - Immediately withdraw all U.S. troops, military assets, and all other assets deployed throughout the Middle East and cease all actions that further escalate a larger regional conflict - Pass legislation that voids all anti-BDS laws at the federal level - Restore my right to free speech and the freedom of the press by condemning all discrimination or harassment for criticizing any government or political ideology (including zionism) and by doing everything possible to prevent future assaults to my rights, including governmental control and/or censorship of the Internet