In today's La Jornada, Adolfo Gilly reports that American historians who are members of the organization "Historians against the War" have been circulating a letter to President Obama and members of Congress. I feel like being extremely sarcastic about the fact that haven't seen this mentioned in the US press...I mean, who would find HISTORIANS newsworthy in the US? In any event the signarutres include famous historians and just ordinary folks like me. The text, from the the Historians against the War is below:
In the face of the ongoing carnage in Gaza, members of Historians Against the War are circulating the letter below, with an initial list of signatories. We encourage you to sign it and to quickly forward this message to fellow historians. As our numbers grow, we will seek opportunities to publicize and to forward to relevant officials.
We deplore the ongoing attacks against civilians in Gaza and in Israel. We also recognize the disproportionate harm that the Israeli military, which the United States has armed and supported for decades, is inflicting on the population of Gaza.
We are profoundly disturbed that Israeli forces are killing and wounding so many Palestinian children. Desperate conditions in Gaza resulting from Israeli policies have made effective evacuation of war zones virtually impossible. We regard as unacceptable the failure of United States elected officials to hold Israel accountable for such acts.
As we watch the death toll mount and observe the terror of the trapped inhabitants in Gaza, we call upon you to demand a cease-fire, the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and a permanent end to the blockade so that its people can resume some semblance of normal life. We urge you to suspend US military aid to Israel, until there is assurance that this aid will no longer be used for the commission of war crimes.
As historians, we recognize this as a moment of acute moral crisis in which it is vitally important that United States policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict change direction.
Gilly concludes his article saying, "Let me note the sternness and restraint of the language of this document which continues to be valid now more than ever since that Benjamin Netanyahu, forced by world conemnation to interrupt his offensive, declares that it was justified and proportionate and that Hamas is responsible for the war crimes of Israeli leaders."
If you are interested in signing a protest letter without finding the next window asks you for money, this is your letter. You don't actually have to be a historian.