Meeting Minute

The Urbana-Champaign Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends urges an immediate cease-fire in the war on Gaza as well as safe and speedy passage for humanitarian aid for all those suffering from the conflict.

To stop the killing and work toward peace, we call for a permanent ceasefire, massive, continuous and unimpeded humanitarian aid into Gaza, and the release of all the Israeli and foreign national hostages being held by Hamas and the Palestinian political prisoners held by the Israelis.

We call for immediate ceasefire and immediate action to provide basic necessities of life: water, food, shelter and medical care to those who have been driven from their homes in Gaza. As Quakers we believe there is that of God in everyone and that an enduring peace built on justice and reconciliation is still possible.

We condemn violence and denounce retribution, on the part of Hamas and the Israeli government, which only create more violence. We support Israelis and Palestinians addressing the root causes underlying violence in search of solutions that are just so as to sustain lasting peace.

In the way of peace, we urge all people, including those who hold political power, to set aside violence and aggression and to seek humane and compassionate ways of resolving conflict.

An urgent call to protect human life and bring a just peace to Palestine and Israel

Twin Cities Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) calls for an immediate cease-fire in the Middle East, an end to the United States providing weapons of war, and swift action to ensure urgently needed humanitarian assistance.

We call for an immediate ceasefire, the prompt release of all hostages and uncharged prisoners on both sides, and urgent action to relieve the tremendous suffering in Gaza. We demand that the United States no longer provide weapons that are used to kill innocent civilians indiscriminately.

Albuquerque Friends, are led by the Spirit of divine compassion to cherish peace, and to “utterly deny all outward wars and strife and fighting with outward weapons for any end or under any pretense whatever.” Declaration of Friends to Charles II, 1660

We urge members of Congress and President Biden to call for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further civilian harm in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. Further, we urge them to address the root causes underlying this explosion of violence.

We join with many millions across the world to call for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access, an end to the catastrophic bombing of civilian Gaza, and action to address the inequalities underlying this situation so as to create the conditions for a lasting peace.

Morningside Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) calls for a ceasefire now in Gaza and a free flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. We grieve the deaths, beginning on October 7, 2023, of approximately 1,200 Israelis and (as of this writing) an estimated 18,400 Palestinians in Gaza, an estimated 226 Palestinians in the West Bank and 104 deaths of Israeli soldiers so far.

Columbia Friends Meeting advocates for an immediate and total ceasefire in Gaza.

War is not the answer. In truth, there is no military solution to this crisis.

Nashville Friends Meeting abhors the horrific violence continuing in Israel and Palestine. As Quakers, we respect the universal sanctity and dignity of all people. We urge our government to call for an immediate cease-fire among all parties to allow them to enter into diplomatic negotiations to build a just and lasting peace.

We urge Congress to call for an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation, and restraint to prevent further civilian harm in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

We urgently call on all who can influence this situation to seek an immediate permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas with the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees. We urge that all diplomatic, financial, and material resources be devoted to peace rather than war.

In keeping with our peace testimony, we are horrified by the killing on all sides in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and the larger Middle East. We support a lasting cease fire, instead of violence and revenge, as well as peaceful action by the United States and other world powers to bring about lasting peace, with justice and freedom, between Israelis and Palestinians.

We, the members of Fifteenth Street Friends Meeting urge our lawmakers and President Biden to endorse a ceasefire, protect lives, including hostages held by Hamas and civilians, provide humanitarian aid, address and resolve the root causes to the longstanding regional dispute, and speak out against both antisemitic and anti-Islamic words and actions.

We condemn the violence unleashed by Hamas and we denounce the retribution of the Israeli Defense Force on Gaza. We urge our government to call for an immediate ceasefire.