COPAL Condemns Violence and Calls for Ceasefire in the Middle East
Minneapolis, MN – October 24, 2023 – COPAL expresses deep mourning for the 1,200 Israeli lives taken too early and condemns Hamas for their egregious actions in these killings and in taking hundreds of Israelis hostage. These are horrific acts of violence that no one should ever experience. Palestinians, Israelis, and those with family in the region are living in fear for the safety of their loved ones.
As an organization that envisions a world where everyone lives with dignity and respect, COPAL joins numerous organizations in condemning the murder of Palestinian civilians under the pretense of eliminating Hamas.
The resulting response by the Israeli Government has been inhumane and devastating toward all Palestinians—not only Hamas—and has resulted in over 4,000 Palestinian deaths in the past two weeks alone. The United States’ recent support for Israel has escalated the violence in the region, repeating cycles of violence that have been perpetuated against the Palestinian people for decades. More than 10,000 Palestinians have been killed since 2008. COPAL stands in solidarity with Palestinians and all people fleeing violence in the region. From our home countries in the Americas, we understand the hardship families feel when borders are enforced through violence, land dispossession, and policy. Much like U.S. interventionism has escalated violence, undermined democracy, and increased human rights violations throughout Latin America, the U.S. government’s military, diplomatic, and financial support has and continues to enable Israeli occupation of Palestine and violence toward its people.
COPAL urgently calls for a ceasefire in the region and immediate efforts towards democratic solutions that protect the human rights and historic land of the Palestinian people. COPAL also demands the Biden administration adjust its foreign policy and refrain from sending any more weapons to the Israeli government; more weapons will not protect anyone, war will not bring about peace, and a ceasefire is the only way to protect human lives. Our collective responsibility is to ensure that human rights are upheld for all, without exception.
