Dear President Biden,
As Christians, we demand that the U.S. government use its considerable power to advocate for a cease-fire by Israel in Gaza.
We grieve with all the families who have lost loved ones and pray for an end to the violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip.
We unequivocally condemn Hamas’ attacks and inhumane treatment of civilians. We demand the immediate release of all hostages.
We equally condemn the Israeli government’s current bombing campaign, ground invasion, 16-year blockade of Gaza, and longstanding military occupation of the West Bank. We demand that Israel move toward democratic norms and an equitable inclusive society for all.
We call on you and your administration to apply maximum diplomatic pressure to negotiate a cease-fire in order to limit the current war and restrain a wider regional conflict, ensure that sufficient medical aid, water, food, and fuel can reach Gazan civilians, and pave the way for political solutions that provide lasting peace, security, and justice.
As Christians, we are shocked at the disregard by armed actors for the lives and safety of international aid workers and for the protection of holy sites and religious charitable institutions that serve as pillars of communities. As peacemakers, we must honor the image of God in every Palestinian and every Israeli.
Peacemaking calls for both restraint and courageous and concrete actions that de-escalate the current conflict and opens up creative possibilities for durable and resilient peace, security, and justice.
This is a time for peacemaking — and that starts with a cease-fire.