Congressman Casten must join worldwide call for ceasefire in Gaza

 Congressman Casten must join worldwide call for ceasefire in Gaza

My congressman Sean Casten’s op-ed in today’s Chicago Tribune ‘A cease-fire between Israel and Hamas has to come with accountability’ is not what billions worldwide are seeking. That would be an immediate, full and permanent ceasefire in Gaza to end the genocidal ethnic cleansing there. 

Casten used 905 words but not a single one described what is going on before our eyes and ears: the complete destruction of Gaza and its 2.3 million Palestinians. Over 20,000 dead, mostly women and children, with likely thousands more buried under the rubble of over 100,000 buildings destroyed with US bombs. Virtually all Palestinians deprived of sufficient food, water, medicine, medical care and habitable dwelling. Starvation is underway.   

 He discussed 4 distinct issues: Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas, Iran, Abraham Accords without a single action step that will end the mass destruction of Gaza before all 2.3 Palestinians in Gaza are dead or shoved into the Saini Desert.  

Congressman Casten did offer one statement we in the Peace Movement could agree with. “I am not a foreign policy expert.” But regarding Gaza, being an expert is irrelevant to acknowledging the intentional destruction of a sliver of land crammed with 2.3 million souls being killed and removed in plain sight. 

Sean Casten would best serve his district, his country, indeed the world, by joining with the small but growing band of 63 legislators, including 5 Illinois representatives and Illinois Senator Durbin, in calling for immediate ceasefire and salvation of 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza.