American Muslims Urge
UN to Enforce Ceasefire
Washington, DC: The American Muslim Taskforce
on Civil Rights and Elections (AMT), a national coalition
of major American-Muslim organizations, has urged the United
Nation to fulfill its legal and moral responsibility by
implementing an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza.
The coalition also urged Muslim nations to immediately end
all diplomatic ties with Israel until a peaceful and permanent
resolution to the present conflict is achieved.
In its statement, the coalition said:
"As American Muslim leaders, we often serve as a bridge
between the United States and the Islamic world. We have
spoken out in favor of political moderation and against
religious extremism. We gladly accept this role.
"To be effective as bridge-builders between the West
and the Muslim world, we have a duty to challenge polices
that harm our nation and its international relations.
"It is extremely difficult to help improve America's
image in the Muslim world as US-supplied weapons are killing
civilians and our elected officials refuse all calls for
a cease-fire. It is hard to appeal for moderation among
Muslims when international bodies like the United Nations
remain silent spectators as Israel carries out its war of
aggression and state terrorism against Lebanon and Gaza.
"The American Muslim Task Force on Civil Rights and
Elections (AMT) calls on the United Nations to fulfill its
legal responsibility to stop Israeli war crimes in Lebanon
and Gaza by using the Security
Council to order an immediate cease-fire by all parties…
"We call on all Muslim countries to immediately suspend
diplomatic ties with Israel. We also call on other countries
currently contemplating such ties to discontinue all diplomatic
contacts.
"We urge the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC)
and the Arab League (AL) to declare Israel a terrorist state
and to support the Lebanese government's legitimate demand
for compensation from Israel
for its war crimes.
"Finally, we urge all people of conscience to seek
divestment from any corporate entity that benefits the Israeli
war economy.”
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