The violence from the war in Gaza is extending far beyond the borders of Israel/Palestine, from Yemen to Washington, D.C.
We are dismayed by the murder of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington, D.C. this week. The attacker said he “did it for Gaza.” As a Quaker organization, we abhor violence and believe there is that of God in everyone. We condemn this attack and are holding the victims, their families, and everyone impacted in the Light.
We’ve also seen violence in Yemen, with extensive air strikes against the Houthis. Although there is now a truce between the U.S. and the Houthis in Yemen, the region still faces an extreme humanitarian crisis, with a lack of food and medical supplies. As FCNL’s Hassan El-Tayyab told In These Times, “The root cause of the current hostilities stems from the ongoing slaughter of civilians in Gaza.”
To bring about true peace in Gaza, Yemen, and across the globe we need a permanent ceasefire, release of the hostages and an end to the devastating blockade on aid in Gaza.
Although reports say the blockade has been lifted, virtually no aid has entered Gaza since March 2.
This week, Sen. Peter Welch (VT) led debate on an important Senate resolution calling for action. 45 senators joined the resolution urging the U.S. government to do all that it can to urge the Israeli government to allow aid into Gaza.
Next Wednesday, May 28, is World Hunger Day. Our colleagues at the American Friends Service Committee have launched a pledge supporting the #FastForGaza initiative. They are asking people of good faith to commit to fasting that day in protest of the use of starvation as a weapon of war. Violence only begets violence and only peace can bring forth peace. We hope you can commit to fasting next Wednesday.
Elsewhere
House passes harmful budget bill
The House of Representatives voted 215-214 this week to pass a budget reconciliation bill (the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” HR 1). This bill would slash food assistance, Medicaid, and clean energy tax credits to fund tax breaks for the wealthy and the mass deportation and detention machine.
But it’s not over! Now the legislation goes to the Senate, and we have another chance to defeat this.
Our collective advocacy is having a real impact. We’ve already seen provisions of the bill dropped which would enable attacks on nonprofits for ideological reasons.
Let’s keep up the momentum to ensure the Senate rejects this unjust effort to strip healthcare and food assistance away from families in need.
Visiting your senator’s local office for the summer
As the budget bill moves to the Senate, kick off a summer of lobbying this Memorial Day weekend by visiting the local office of your senators next week!
The House-passed budget bill devastates health care, food assistance, and clean energy investments to fund tax cuts and militarized immigration enforcement. The Senate cannot pass this bill.
Quaker Walk to Washington
Quaker advocates walked 300 miles from Queens, New York, to Washington D.C. in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors!
We were honored to join them this week as they arrived in DC, marching to call on Congress to protect due process, free speech, and human dignity.
Organizations come together to urge just, inclusive peace in Ukraine
This week, FCNL, Amnesty International USA, Center for Civilians in Conflict, and the Quincy Institute led a coalition of 31 organizations to urge Congress to put forward a positive vision for a just, inclusive peace process in Ukraine.
Lasting peace can only be achieved through peaceful means. More than three years into Russia’s war in Ukraine, U.S. policy makers must make constructive efforts to help stop the violence and achieve a just, enduring peace.
As FCNL’s Bridget Moix said, “While diplomacy can be challenging, our Quaker peace testimony teaches us that war is never the answer and peace is indeed possible.”
Department of Justice cut grants to Community Violence Intervention
President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) cut millions in grants, including the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVI). This will cause greater risks to the public, more danger to law enforcement, and more gun deaths across the nation. As FCNL’s José Santos Moreno put it, “The government should invest more, not less, in CVI… to promote these initiatives that are saving lives.”
