Dear
CODEPINKer,
As
we decorate pink hearts for Valentine's Day, our own hearts
ache for the people of Gaza.
Our
three person delegation just returned from a trip to Gaza, and Medea,
Ann and Tighe are still reeling from the
profound devastation they witnessed there--bombed areas
that looked as if they had been hit by tornados, families living
inside tents after their homes had been destroyed, countless lives
irrevocably shattered by loss.
“The
sights we saw in Gaza were tragic—a Goliath Israel pounding
a small Gaza David, with international silence and complicity. Some
1,300 Palestinians have died, thousands have been wounded, and hundreds
of thousands have been deeply traumatized. We deplore the use of
rockets against Israeli towns by Hamas and other groups in Gaza,
but the disproportionate response by the Israeli government and
military is appalling,” said Ret. Col. Ann Wright.
With
the victory of an even more right-wing government in the Israeli
elections looming, we must focus on the suffering in Gaza and stop
a new round of violence. We are organizing a delegation to return
to Gaza in time for International Women's Day, March 8th, hosted
by the Women's Division of the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency. Our group will provide solidarity for the women in Gaza
and exert pressure on United States, Egyptian, and Israeli governments
to lift the blockade. If we are not allowed inside, we will set
up an encampment near the border to call attention to the need to
open the borders and end the siege.
Here's
how you can help:
Donate
to send aid to Gaza. You can help us bring resources
and gifts on International Women's Day to women who have suffered
so much.
Join
our delegation to Gaza from March 5-March 12 to support
the women of Gaza and promote peace and human rights in the region.
Some scholarships are available.
We also want to reach out to special peace envoy to the Middle East,
George Mitchell. On his first trip to the Middle East, Mitchell
did not even go to Gaza. Now that he will be embarking on a second
trip, ask
him to visit Gaza, to witness the devastation firsthand
and to listen to the voices of the women in Gaza.
Be sure to continue to educate yourself and your community about
the current crisis in Gaza by visiting our growing resource page,
which includes links
to Medea Benjamin's blogs from Gaza, and our incisive
Gaza
digest.
Thank
you for opening your hearts to our struggling sisters in Gaza this
Valentine's Day (and beyond)!
With our own hearts broken but hopeful, Audrey, Dana, Deidra, Desiree, Farida, Gael,
Gayle, Jean, Jodie, Liz, Lori, Medea, Nancy, Paris, and Rae
p.s. Don't
forget to order our Make
Out, Not War t-shirts and our peace
panties! We have pink
Valentine's Day packages too! If you spend $25
in our CODEPINK store by Friday, we'll
send you a free gift!
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