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Dear American Supporter of Peace, Diplomacy, and International Cooperation:
Please join us in signing the following open letter to President Bush calling for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon.
Dear President Bush:
As Americans, we support the right of people everywhere to be secure in their homes and communities, free from the fear of falling bombs and falling rockets. We are very disappointed by your apparent decision, as indicated by U.S. and European press reports, to support the Israeli government's bombing of civilian targets in Lebanon and Gaza, using U.S. - supplied weapons, in violation of U.S. law. The Guardian reports that the US has blocked efforts for an immediate halt to the fighting, and has given Israel a"green light" to continue bombing Lebanon. The Washington Post reports that you have "endorsed Israel's campaign" and that your administration is "letting Israel's military strategy play out." The New York Times reports that your Administration has agreed that Israel "would continue to bombard Lebanon for another week or so."
We reject any claim that such actions by Israel or the U.S. are morally acceptable and we reject any claim that they make Israelis or Americans more secure; as Senator Warner noted, thousands of Americans are directly threatened by the conflict, and, predictably, the escalating conflict has brought death and serious injury to Israeli civilians who otherwise would be alive and well today.
We urgently appeal to you to change your position and to do everything in your power to bring about an immediate ceasefire, including the cessation of Israeli bombing, the cessation of Hizbullah and Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli cities and towns, the release of prisoners held by the Israeli government and armed militias, and international assistance to the governments in Lebanon and Gaza to secure their borders with Israel and to reconstruct from the Israeli bombing campaigns.
-- Robert Naiman Just Foreign Policy www.justforeignpolicy.org