#BreakingNews New Letter for a Ceasefire and an End to Israel's Impunity from Over 150 NGO's and Church Groups

Joint Statement - Open Call for a Ceasefire in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel and End to Impunity
Churches for Middle East Peace joined more than 150 international NGOs in calling for UN Member States to immediately secure a ceasefire in Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, and across the region. Pax Christi International the international Catholic peace movement has also signed. The statement makes clear that “Governments must do everything in their power to end this growing catastrophe and cycle of impunity. It is not only a moral imperative but a legal obligation.” A full copy of the statement and list of signatories is available below.
**********************
We, the undersigned organisations, appeal to all UN member states to secure an immediate ceasefire across Gaza, Lebanon, Israel and the region, and to end the impunity that has allowed atrocities by Israeli forces against civilians to continue and escalate. Without accountability, there will be no red lines and no rock bottom.
Israel’s war in Gaza, following the deadly attacks by Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023, is the latest and most horrific onslaught of violence in the decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. After a year of unfathomable killing and destruction, patterns of civilian harm by Israeli forces are spreading and escalating from Gaza to Lebanon, while rocket attacks by armed groups in Lebanon continue.

We are now on the precipice of even greater devastation across the region.
Failure to act now is a choice - a choice that will fail to stop and prevent future atrocities.The UN Commission of Inquiry concluded last week that Israel has committed war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination with relentless and deliberate attacks on medical personnel and facilities in Gaza, and called on member states to “cease aiding or assisting in the commission of violations.”
Over the last 12 months, the UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on Gaza, including one calling for a ceasefire, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of the Genocide Convention. The ICJ also issued an Advisory Opinion that found that Israel’s occupation1 and annexation of Palestinian territory is illegal, and the UN General Assembly passed a resolution demanding that Israel end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) within 12
months. Despite this, none of these measures have been implemented or adhered to.
The international community’s egregious disregard for international law and the government of Israel’s unchecked impunity in Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon, has set dangerous new precedents for the conduct of war.
For civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory, Lebanon and Israel this has resulted in:

Israeli military actions killing over 43,000 Palestinians across the oPt and more than 2,000 people in Lebanon. Israeli forces issuing displacement orders covering over 84% of Gaza's territory and now 25% of Lebanon’s territory. These orders, combined with Israel’s bombardment, have forcibly displaced around 90% of Gaza's population and over 800,000 people in Lebanon. An estimated 400,000 Palestinians are under siege and relentless bombardment in northern Gaza without access to food, water, fuel, or medical care. (UNRWA) The killing of over 300 Palestinian and international aid workers, and over 1000 health care workers in Gaza and 95 in Lebanon. UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon are also coming under attack by Israeli forces (UNIFIL). Israeli military attacks on hospitals, clinics, and ambulances have decimated the health care system in Gaza, and are destroying it in Lebanon - leaving millions without access to care. Countless children and adults are dying of malnutrition and facing the risk of starvation, directly induced by the Israeli government’s siege on Gaza, which includes systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid and essential services. (IPC) The killing of nearly 1,200 people in Israel during the Palestinian armed group led attacks on October 7, 2023 (OCHA). Rockets fired by Palestinian and Lebanese armed groups have killed and injured dozens of people (Amnesty International) and displaced over 140,000 Israelis. 101 hostages remain held by Palestinian armed groups, and thousands of Palestinians are unlawfully detained by Israeli forces in detention centers, including children, many whose whereabouts are unknown and have effectively disappeared. Many among us have repeatedly called for a permanent and unconditional ceasefire, hostage release, a halt to arms transfers, and de-escalation of tensions in the region, and yet the violence only appears to be intensifying. Again, we call on all Heads of State and Governments, the UN Security Council, and actors on the ground to prioritise the preservation of human life above all else by: ● Securing an immediate ceasefire by all parties to the conflict and an end to the indiscriminate attacks that kill civilians and destroy civilian infrastructure; ● Halting the transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to parties to the conflict that may be used to commit violations of international humanitarian law (IHL); ● Enabling unhindered humanitarian access for the delivery of lifesaving assistance, including food, medical supplies and fuel, and the safe movements of civilians and aid workers. ● Ensuring the protection of civilians from further forced displacement, and the right to return for those forcibly displaced. Civilians who choose to stay or are unable to leave remain protected under international law. ● Securing the release of all hostages and detainees. ● Immediately activating independent international investigations into all apparent violations of international humanitarian law and war crimes committed by all parties. Governments must do everything in their power to end this growing catastrophe and cycle of impunity. It is not only a moral imperative but a legal obligation. All Member States must prevent further atrocities and ensure that those responsible for any violations of international law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, are held accountable. Failure to act now risks further eroding international norms and emboldening perpetrators. The cycle of violence against civilians needs to stop. Signatories:  1. ABCD Bethlehem  2. Access Center for Human Rights (ACHR)   3. AFSC, American Friends Service Committee  4. ALEF - act for human rights  5. Alternatives Internationales  6. Amos Trust  7. Anglican Pacifist Fellowship   8. Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem  9. Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz (ACPP)  10. Asociación Otra Escuela  11. Association Switzerland-Palestine (Gesellschaft Schweiz-Palästina) 12. Avaaz  13. Baytna pour le soutien de la société civile  14. Belgium Palestine Mental Health Network  15. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies  16. Caritas Internationalis  17. Caritas MONA (Middle East and North Africa)  18. CCFD-Terre Solidaire  19. Children Not Numbers  20. Christian Aid  21. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)  22. CIVICUS   23. Clowns Without Borders Sweden  24. Clowns Without Borders UK  25. CNCD-11.11.11  26. Collective Aid  27. Comisión de Justicia y Paz de Confregua  28. Cordaid  29. Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)  30. Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu)  31. Danish Refugee Council  32. DAWN   33. Egala Association  34. Emmaus International  35. Equal Legal Aid  36. EuroMed Rights Network  37. Europe Cares e.V.  38. European Alternatives  39. Fellowship of Reconciliation - USA  40. Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid  41. Firefly International  42. Forces Watch  43. FORO SALUD NACIONAL  44. France Palestine Mental Health Network  45. FSMAGH (Forum des alternatives Maroc - FMAS) 46. Fund for Global Human Rights  47. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect  48. Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) 49. Global Witness  50. Greek Council for Refugees (GCR)  51. HelpAge International   52. Hivos  53. Human Rights & Democracy Media Center “SHAMS"/Palestine 54. Human Rights Sentinel  55. Human Security Collective  56. Humanity & Inclusion/Handicap International  57. ICNA SISTERS CANADA   58. Initiatives et Changement  59. International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) 60. International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)  61. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)  62. International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR)  63. International Peace Bureau (IPB)  64. INTERSOS  65. Ireland Palestine Mental Health Network  66. Islamic Relief Worldwide  67. Jewish Network for Palestine  68. Jewish Voice for Peace-Health Advisory Council  69. KAIROS Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives 70. Kenya Human Rights Commission  71. KinderUSA  72. Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law  73. Lebanese Center for Human Rights  74. MADRE  75. Mayworks Kjipuktuk/Halifax  76. Médecins du Monde International Network  77. medico international  78. Medicus Mundi Italia  79. Migrant Roots Media  80. Minnesota Peace Project  81. Movement for Community-led Development  82. MPower Change Action Fund  83. Muslim Association of Brantford  84. Muslim Delegates and Allies  85. Musulmanas de Guatemala por Palestina  86. NO NAME KITCHEN  87. Nonviolence International  88. Nonviolent Peaceforce  89. Norwegian Refugee Council  90. Olof Palmes Internationella Center  91. Omega Research Foundation  92. Oxfam  93. Palestinian Assoc. of Brantford  94. PAX  95. Pax Christi Australia  96. Pax christi Deutsche Sektion  97. Pax Christi England and Wales  98. Pax Christi Flanders 99. Pax Christi International  100. Pax Christi Scotland  101. Pax Christi USA  102. Peace Boat  103. Peace Direct  104. Peace SOS   105. Peace Watch Switzerland  106. Peace, Justice, Sustainability, NOW!  107. People's Health Movement (PHM)  108. Permanent Peace Movement  109. Plan International  110. Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine 111. Polish Medical Mission  112. Première Urgence Internationale  113. Progressive Democrats of Pennsylvania  114. Protection International  115. PVE Works  116. Quakers in Scotland (Religious Society of Friends)  117. Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) 118. ReThinking Foreign Policy  119. Rethinking Security  120. Righting Relations Canada  121. Saferworld  122. SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties  123. Seenaryo  124. Share The World's Resources  125. SOS Children's Villages UK  126. Ster Organization for Human Development  127. Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR)  128. Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights  129. Terre des Hommes Netherlands  130. The Advocacy Academy  131. The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace, and Security  132. The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation  133. The International Federation for Rights and Development - IFRD 134. The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation  135. The Namibia NGO Forum Trust  136. The National Organization of Yemeni Reporters SADA 137. The Socio-economic Justice Initiative-MAAN  138. The Syria Campaign  139. Train of Hope Dortmund e. V.  140. UK Palestine Mental Health Network  141. United Nations Association - UK (UNA-UK)  142. University Network for Human Rights  143. US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO)  144. Vision GRAM-International   145. War Child  146. WESPAC Foundation, Inc.  147. WeWorld  148. WILPF US 149. Women for Women International  150. Women's International League for Peace & Freedom-Minnesota, USA, Branch 151. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)  152. Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation  مؤسسة الجلك لالستجابة والتنميه 153.  مؤسسة مدافعات للحقوق والحريات 154.

### Formed in 1984, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is a coalition of more than 30 national church communions and organizations, including Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Evangelical traditions that works to encourage US policies that actively promote a comprehensive resolution to conflicts in the Middle East with a focus on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. CMEP works to mobilize US Christians to embrace a holistic perspective and to be advocates of equality, human rights, security, and justice for Israelis, Palestinians, and all people of the Middle East.