PDX WILPF Letter in the Oregonian

From the Letters to the Editor of the Oregonian on Friday, July 7:

We call upon the U.S. government to unequivocally condemn Israeli use of collective punishment and illegal detention. We join former Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami and the Israeli peace movement, along with voices from around the world, in condemning Israel's latest incursion into Gaza.

Our government must work toward a peaceful end of the Israel/Palestinian conflict by recognizing that Israel's bombing of Palestinian infrastructure and civilian areas, its imprisonment of democratically chosen Palestinian Authority cabinet members, and threats to murder Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Syria are "actions of violence and terror."

The U.S. government must work to end Israel's illegal use of force and insist that Israel release the politicians it arrested, immediately stop its military incursion in the Gaza Strip, and use the international legal system to bring alleged terrorists to justice.

GEORGIA PINKEL and OLIVIA WATT, Co-chairwomen Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Portland branch, Northwest Portland

Bravo to our sisters in Portland! Please join us in writing letters to the editor, to your Congressional representatives, and to the administration re this horrifying and one-sided war on the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza. Remember to include your WILPF affiliation in all correspondence. And if you get published, please email me, so we can keep track of our media outreach.