PURPOSE OF TOOLKIT
The ongoing crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel is beyond horrifying. As human rights activists, we must urgently call on all to protect civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel – and on our leaders to urgently and swiftly take action to prevent further civilian bloodshed and trauma.
This toolkit provides guidance for Amnesty members and supporters to take action in supporting our calls. It will be updated regularly to provide the most up-to-date facts and figures.
How can you take action?
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Sign and Share our Action
Tell President Biden: Call for a ceasefire and weapons suspension to end unprecedented civilian suffering!
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Share on Social Media
Share our topline messaging and graphics on social media!
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Download Protest Posters
Download and print our Amnesty “Ceasefire Now” posters to use at your next rally!
#CeasefireNow: Prevent Further Loss of Civilian Lives
Ensure access to life-saving aid for people in Gaza and provide an opportunity to secure the safe release of hostages
Amnesty is calling on President Joe Biden to:
- Immediately suspend the direct and indirect supply, sale, or transfer of all weapons, munitions, and other military and security equipment to the Israeli government and make clear that the U.S. will not tolerate the perpetuation of war crimes or crimes against humanity with weapons it has provided. We are not just asking President Biden and his administration to follow international law, we are demanding they implement their own policies regarding human rights and civilian harm reduction.
- Work to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire today to save lives and alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. A humanitarian pause or temporary ceasefire is not enough. With each day that passes, more lives are lost, and the human-engineered humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is getting worse. This shocking and unconscionable suffering, death toll, widespread destruction, engineered hunger and malnutrition, deliberate denial of humanitarian aid as part of an illegal siege, racist and dehumanizing rhetoric by Israeli officials, and the wider context of Israel’s apartheid system are all warning signs of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Enough is enough.
- Demand that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza release all civilian hostages unconditionally and immediately and treat all those being held captive humanely, including by providing medical treatment, pending their release.
- Demand the lifting of restrictions on delivery of urgent humanitarian aid, including especially food and medical supplies, to Gaza in sufficient quantities to meet the dire needs of the civilian population, and urge the Israeli government to immediately restore Gaza’s supply of electricity, water, fuel, and food and rescind the unlawful evacuation order.
- Call on the Israeli government to lift the unlawful 16-year blockade on Gaza, and dismantle its system of apartheid imposed over Palestinians.
Call the White House comment line
Encourage President Biden to support an immediate ceasefire; prioritize and facilitate the delivery of fuel to Gaza, scale up the provision of food, water, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid, and demand that the Israeli government immediately restore water, electricity, fuel, and food to the entire Gaza Strip.
Call (281) 572-5571
The phone line is open Tuesday-Thursday from 11 am to 3 pm ET.
CEASEFIRE NOW: LOCAL RESOLUTIONS TOOLKIT
This toolkit takes you step-by-step through the process of passing a Ceasefire Now resolution, a declaration of support for a sustained ceasefire passed through your city council.
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The U.S. continues to transfer BILLIONS of dollars in weapons to the Israeli government, despite the evidence that they have been used to commit war crimes. Amnesty’s on-the-ground research has exposed that U.S.-made weapons have been used in unlawful attacks that have killed Palestinian civilians.
Sign our petition to tell President Biden and your elected leaders in Congress: the U.S. can save lives by stopping weapons transfers to the Israeli government and by calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
All parties must end unlawful attacks, including indiscriminate attacks, direct attacks on civilians and civilian objects, disproportionate attacks, and hostage taking.
This is why white phosphorus should never be used in civilian areas. Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. As we continue to closely investigate these deeply concerning cases, Amnesty urges Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups to respect International humanitarian law at all times; civilians must be protected at all costs.
Amnesty has gathered new evidence of unlawful Israeli attacks that caused mass civilian casualties and must be investigated as war crimes.
Israeli forces have shown an appalling disregard for civilian lives, lives with their own unique stories, and we have a responsibility to amplify them. Israeli forces have pulverized street after street of residential buildings, killing civilians on a massive scale and destroying not only essential infrastructure, but also the history and personal lives of Palestinians.
President Biden must cease US unreserved support for Israel’s actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), including the unlawful blockade and the evacuation order for all civilians in north Gaza, and stop providing arms used to commit violations.
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AIUSA’s Response to the Impacts & Escalation in the US
In addition, AIUSA is closely monitoring and responding to the impacts of this escalation in the US, including an increase in Islamophobia, anti-Arab/ Palestinian racism, antisemitism and hate crimes. We produced a video highlighting the horrific hate crime murder of 6-year-old Palestinian-American Wadea Al-Fayoume in Chicago.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Use our crisis response page as a resource and share with your networks the latest information and press releases from Amnesty (updated regularly).