Israel/Palestine

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.

Before Oct. 7, calling for equality for Palestinians was considered radical. Now, demanding a ceasefire puts Israelis at risk of threats or attacks.

In a recent letter to President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) called the bombing of Gaza “not just a humanitarian cataclysm, but a mass atrocity” adding that the violence “is being done with bombs and equipment produced and provided by the United States and heavily subsidized by American taxpayers. Tragically, we are complicit in this carnage.” Now, he has introduced a resolution invoking Section 502B, a rarely used provision of the Foreign Assistance Act that offers Congress a potent tool to force a high-profile Senate debate about U.S. military support for possible Israeli war crimes in Gaza and pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to hasten a ceasefire.

Since the Israel-Palestine war began following the deadly attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, we have witnessed a dramatic rise in Islamophobic and antisemitic rhetoric and violence throughout the United States. Hadiya and Odeliya are colleagues and friends at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. Hadiya is a Muslim American and Odeliya is an Israeli Jew. This rising tide of hate is something that they can’t ignore—as individuals or as advocates for peace.

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.

The way these conversations happen matters. Here are some suggestions for holding a conversation in your meeting, church, or other group.

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.