Press Release: 2024-10-21

1199SEIU Calls for Ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza and Arms Embargo Against Israel

 

October 18, 2024

 

 

1199SEIU, the largest union of healthcare workers in the US, releases the following statement:

This month, the world marked the anniversary of the horrific October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel, during which 1,200 Israelis were killed, thousands more injured, and hundreds kidnapped.  1199SEIU reiterates our unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’ actions and demands the immediate return of the remaining hostages and the end to indiscriminate rocket attacks against Israel.

Over the past year, the Netanyahu government has used the October 7 atrocities to justify inexcusable destruction and killing in Gaza, creating an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in the region which continues to worsen each day. Over 40,000 Gazans have been killed and one million are at imminent risk of starvation, according to the World Food Programme.[1]

In a further escalation of the regional crisis, Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon has now forced nearly one million people to flee their homes.  The World Health Organization has identified 16 Israeli attacks against the Lebanese healthcare sector with at least 9 hospitals fully or partly shut down.[2]  Hezbollah has likewise continued to commit war crimes by launching rocket and drone attacks across the border into Israel.

As a Union of healthcare workers, many of whom have family in the region, 1199SEIU is appalled by the incredible loss of life in this conflict.  We are deeply concerned by the US and other Western governments’ ongoing support of the Netanyahu administration as it continues to flout humanitarian principles and kill civilians, including by bombing hospitals.  

1199SEIU demands urgent, concrete efforts by the US to establish an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon and the full flow of humanitarian aid.  There cannot be any more delay.  We call on the Biden administration to enforce the Foreign Assistance Act and suspend military assistance to Israel for its continued blockage of aid necessary to avert catastrophic famine.  It is unacceptable for Israel to use US military aid for aims well beyond its self-defense.

All people impacted by this conflict—Palestinian, Israeli, and Lebanese alike—deserve a future free from war and suffering.  The only way to seek justice for the innocent lives lost is to build a lasting peace that ensures safety, self-determination, and a respect for international law and norms on all sides.

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[1] https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/11/middleeast/food-northern-gaza-starvation-un-intl

[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/15/world/middleeast/lebanon-hospitals-israel-offensive.html