(Editor’s note: The following is a letter sent by Women in Black of Bainbridge Island to Sens. Maria Cantwell, and Patty Murray, and Rep. Jay Inslee.)

The current situation in Gaza is one more tragic example of the failure of violence to achieve stability in the Middle East. Israel illegally occupies Gaza while Hamas illegally bombs Israel. Atrocities continue. Civilians on both sides are suffering.

We call on Congress: to decry the violence on both sides of the conflict; to block the flow of money and arms to this war-torn region; to channel funds, leadership and humanitarian aid to the peacemakers of both sides.

Many Israelis and Palestinians are willing to sit down together with the commitment to peace and justice. They desperately need worldwide support, U.S support and media access.

We stand in solidarity with the Israeli/Palestinian Women in Black who have stood together in Jerusalem for peaceful resolution of the conflict since 1988.

Congress must work with peacemakers to end the conflict with equal concern for both sides.

Brook Thompson,

Women in Black,

Bainbridge Island