Dear Representative Pat Ryan,
I am writing with urgency to ask you to immediately demand an end to the Israeli forces' murderous collective punishment of Palestinians.
The IDF could not do what it’s doing without the US’s $3.8 billion per year. Therefore we, US citizens, and you particularly, as a Congress representative, have a moral responsibility regarding how that massive funding is used.
Right now, the IDF is brutally attacking the Jenin refugee camp as if they intend to obliterate it—which perhaps they do. There have been numerous civilian casualties including elderly people and children.
Here is an excerpt from The Freedom Theatre’s update today. TFT, in the heart of the refugee camp, is a major cultural institution devoted to creating original theatre with local young people.
“The Israeli army blew the entrance of The Freedom Theatre at approx. 02:00 this morning. They took the Naghnaghiye family to the theatre stage including the father of the 14-year old Sadeel that was killed by the army last week, and Adnan, the technical manager of The Freedom Theatre. They locked the entire family including elders and children inside the theatre and interrogated them there. Some members were held until the late morning. Adnan was taken by the army and there’s no further news on his status.” (See the full update below.)
Representative Ryan, you and I have met several times. We are neighbors in Gardiner. Through me, you are no more than two degrees of separation from Adnan. Some years ago I taught theatre at TFT and drove with Adnan to a deeply moving performance in a Bedouin village.
The people in the Jenin refugee camp are not faceless “terrorists”. They are human beings who have endured unthinkable trauma and oppression for generations.
Israel’s rightwing government claims it is taking these violent actions in order to keep Jewish Israelis safe. A far more moral and more effective way to achieve that goal would be to stop denying Palestinians basic human rights and grant them citizenship.
I ask you to respond to the specific points I am making. It is not helpful to receive your standard response on this topic, defending Israel’s actions.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Jo Salas