U.S. LABOR SOLIDARITY AGAINST APARTHEID 

Whereas,

 we deeply mourn the devastating loss of life in occupied Palestine and Israel. Werecognize that 75 years of Israeli occupation and its apartheid laws are the root cause of theviolence unfolding in Palestine. We mourn the taking of civilian life without reservation. Preventingfurther loss of life – including of the hostages on both sides – is an urgent priority; and

Where,

 we urgently call on President Joe Biden and Congress to push for an immediate ceasefire,promptly facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, and stand against an impedinggenocide in Gaza and the West Bank; and

Whereas,

 the Israeli state violence and occupation is costing the lives of Palestinians and Israelis.The UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and B’Tselem, the largest human rightsorganization in Israel, have all declared Israel as an Apartheid State and documented its blatantviolation of international humanitarian law. Protecting people on both sides from harm requiresaddressing its root cause; and

Whereas,

 we reject the hyperfixation on Hamas that has swallowed American mainstream media,understanding this recent attack as the result of 75 years of Israeli war crimes. We will not bringabout peace by ignoring the reality of Israeli occupation; and

Whereas,

 what we are seeing before us is a genocide of Palestinian civilians, most notably Israel’sbombing of 500 Palestinians in the Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital massacre. The ongoing siege of Gaza,blocking the basic necessities for life such as food, water and electricity constitutes collectivepunishment. These aggressions are unequivocally prohibited under international law; and

Whereas,

 supporting Israel's war crimes undermines the national interest and safety of the American working people, leaving America weaker on both international and domestic fronts. Itprimarily serves the interests of weapons contractors and big business who stand to profit from thepain and suffering of ordinary civilians. Our government’s actions are under global scrutiny, andturning the United States into a national embarrassment on the world stage; and

Whereas,

 hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country have joined the groundswell of global solidarity demanding an immediate end to the brutal military aggression. Notably, thousands of Jewish Americans, who resolutely understand defending Palestinians’ human rights does not implyanti-semitism, showed up at the White House and shut down all eleven entrances; and

Whereas,

 veteran U.S. State Department official Josh Paul who oversaw arms transfers, recentlyresigned from the agency this week over the U.S. blind support in exacerbating the crisis. In hispublic resignation letter, he called the indiscriminate transfer of weapons to Israel “destructive andunjust”; and

Whereas,

 the demonization of Palestinians in the mainstream media has resulted in a rise of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim racist harassment and even violence in the U.S., exemplified by the recentkilling of 6-year-old Palestinian Wadie Al Fayoume. He was stabbed 26 times in his Chicago areahome; and