Call for Cease Fire - Pioneer Square Sunday, July 30th 1pm-5pm

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Contact: Peter Miller: President, Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights: 503-358-7475
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE: Local human rights groups, members of Lebanese families, and faith organizations call for cease fire, humanitarian aid for Lebanon and Gaza, and announce plans for a Sunday, July 30th mobilization for peace in the Middle East.

Portland, OR – An alliance of local human rights groups, faith organizations and individuals with family ties to the regions of Lebanon and Gaza now under attack by Israeli military forces is calling on the US government to demand an immediate cease fire, and to provide humanitarian aid to those suffering from the violence and blockades. There will be a large community gathering Sunday, July 30th, in Pioneer Courthouse Square from 1:00 to 5:00 pm, to bring attention to the suffering of the people in this region and their ties to Portland.

The rally, entitled Stop the Killing in Lebanon, Palestine and Israel, is sponsored by Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights (AUPHR), Palestinian Arab American Alliance (PAAA), the Islamic Center of Portland, Friends of Sabeel, Portland Peaceful Response Coalition (PPRC), Living Earth, and Salem Palestine Solidarity Group for Peace & Justice, Freedom Socialist Party, and Radical Women. Endorsers include the East Timor Action Network-Portland and the No War Drum Corps.

Those organizing the rally strongly advocate a peaceful and just resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict through negotiations based on international law and universal human rights. They protest what they describe as a grossly disproportionate military response by Israel, a nuclear power that is armed, funded and supported by the United States, which has bombed and killed hundreds of innocent civilians, displaced hundreds of thousands, destroyed the economy and civilian infrastructure in Lebanon and Gaza, kidnapped dozens of elected Palestinian leaders, and destroyed their homes.

"The Bush administration has been absent without leave in negotiating the long standing issues between Israel and its neighbors, especially the Palestinians" said Peter Miller, President of Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights. "American political leadership continues to support Israel no matter the cost to American security and interests and continues to support Israel's own violations of international law. Our political leadership has utterly failed to promote serious, compassionate, and even-handed conflict resolution in the region for all parties."
"The ferocious attacks against Lebanon's civilians and infrastructure are clearly disproportionate and constitute the worst forms of illegal and prohibited collective punishment, as outlined in the Geneva Conventions,” explained Mazen Malik, director of the Palestinian Arab American Association. “However the complicity and unconditional support that the Bush administration is willing to extend to those crimes is astonishing,” said Malik. “This latest episode of violence and its public relations spin leaves the uncomfortable feeling that it is a continuation of the Iraq war and an extension of "changing the Middle East" by the power of the gun.”

Oregon Representative Peter DeFazio has co-signed a bill introduced in Congress for an immediate cease fire, multi-party negotiations and an international peace keeping force. National organizations supporting the legislation include Jewish Voice for Peace, US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Council for the National Interest, Partners for Peace, Progressive Democrats of America, United for Peace and Justice, Peace Action, the American Friends Service Committee – Chicago, and Interfaith Peace-Builders.

For further information: The public is welcome to the peace rally. For detailed information, see www.auphr.org or call 503-358-7475 for a press packet.