Palestinians Have Right To Peace, Dignity: Congressman Ami Bera
ELK GROVE, CA (IANS) – Congressman Ami Bera has called for immediate cessation of military operations in Gaza to get needed humanitarian aid, food, water, and medicine to struggling civilians.
Gaza city and northern Gaza have been “largely cut off” from the rest of the Hamas-controlled enclave because of the Israeli ground operations, hampering the delivery of humanitarian aid to some 300,000 internally displaced people in the north, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Bera in a video message said that while he “firmly believes” that Israel has the right to exist and defend itself, so do “innocent Palestinians who have a right to a life of peace and dignity”.
“We need an immediate pause in order to get needed humanitarian aid, food, water and medicine to struggling civilians; then we need to find a different path forward,” Bera said, after speaking to the Palestinians and Jews in his constituency.
The Congressman said he hoped to see Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace, which can only happen if innocent Israelis and Palestinians are not killed.
In addition, Bera, along with Congressman Andy Kim, is leading 89 colleagues in demanding the US Congress to immediately pass the President’s request for Fiscal Year 2024 emergency supplemental funding.
This includes aid for the United States Agency for International Development’s International Disaster Assistance account to meet rising humanitarian needs around the world including those related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
As a result of the ongoing conflict, more than two million people are in urgent need of lifesaving humanitarian assistance, Bera and others wrote in a letter addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Over one million people have fled the violence, stretching the already strained ability of the UN and humanitarian partners on the ground to provide food, medical treatment, and shelter to those in need.
The letter stated that 374 trucks, carrying essential supplies have crossed into Gaza from Egypt via the Rafah border crossing, which is just a “fraction of what is needed to meet the needs posed by the current crisis”.
Anil
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I am ashamed of Bera. But I am not surprised at his arrogant position.
Israel is doing so much less than what USA did in Afghanistan after 9/11. The irony there is that Afghans were living their life normally until the USA sent Al Queda there to take over. and elsewhere in the region because there is a potential for attack on a military facility (not on civilians).
Bera should call for the return of all hostages without conditions. And the prosecution for every Hamas operative and leader involved in the massacre, rapes and killing of civilians.
November 6, 2023Anil
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Why is Bera not calling for the ceasefire in all of Middle East and return of US soldiers from the area?
November 6, 2023Maneck Bhujwala
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The neighboring Arab countries are refusing to allow the Gaza civilians to enter their territories for refuge from the war between Israel and Hamas. Because the Hamas leaders have constructed many tunnels below civilian residences, hospitals, etc. and using civilians as human shields for their fighters, it is difficult for the Israelis to destroy the tunnels and attack Hamas leaders and fighters without preventing civilian casualties. Even so, Israel is offering to have a cease fire or pause in fighting if Hamas releases all hostages it has captured. Hamas does not agree to a two State solution for Israelis and Palestinians, instead they want total destruction of Israel. No country can allow itself to be destroyed, so Israel is forced to go to war to defend itself from future attacks from air, sea, and land, like what Hamas did on October 7 with thousands of missiles, ground invasion, targeted at civilians. brutally killing over a thousand men, women and children and injuring thousands more. May God give good sense to all parties to stop violence and agree to a compromise for a two State solution.
November 6, 2023Daljit (Dean)Singh
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Congressman Ami Bera’s call for an immediate cessation of war in Middle East is a commendable action and response. He is the most senior and thoughtful leader of the “Samosa Caucus” in Congress. As a medical doctor, he knows the pain and sufferings of innocent civilians including thousands of children and women being killed each day in this senseless violence. By remaining silent on this issue would be politically convenient, but it is not his style of politics. Let us support him on this fundamental human rights issue which is fundamental to our interfaith dialogue and understanding.
November 7, 2023VIJAY
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He ought to be ashamed of his action.
November 7, 2023