Members and attenders of the Boulder Colorado Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) deeply mourn the loss of all lives, homes, and communities of people who are victims of the current wars in the Middle East. As Quakers, we believe that all life is sacred, and that war and acts of violence are wrong in all circumstances. We unequivocally condemn the attacks and inhumane treatment of civilians by all parties involved in the ongoing wars and call for an immediate and permanent end to the violence, immediate release of all hostages, provision of desperately needed humanitarian aid, and the creation of a just peace for all concerned. The Middle East conflict is escalating quickly. The United States must use all of its leverage to end the violence.
In response to the current situation, the United States must:
- Immediately stop providing offensive weapons and weapons systems to Israel.
- Actively and publicly engage in assertive peace building actions with all warring parties, all European and Middle Eastern partners, and the United Nations Security Council to secure and enforce a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, Israel, and Lebanon, as well as with Iran and and other parties engaged in the conflict.
- Restore funding from the US to the United Nations Relief and Works Administration (UNRWA).
- Strongly call on Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis and Iran to cease hostilities between them and make every effort to protect innocent civilians.
- Demand that Israel and Hamas accept a ceasefire in which all Israeli and foreign hostages in Gaza, and the numerous incarcerated Palestinians in Israel, are released and exchanged.
- Demand that Israel stop using starvation as a weapon of war and allow all needed humanitarian aid to enter and be distributed to the people in Gaza and in other war-affected areas.
- Work with Israel, Palestinians, and willing Middle Eastern countries to develop a plan for Palestinian self-determination and international recognition as a nation.
Please read similar statements from other Meetings on the Western Friend and FCNL websites.
