JACL Chicago joins the call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The mission of the Japanese American Citizens League Chicago is to secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others who are victimized by injustice and bigotry. JACL Chicago strives to promote a world that honors life by respecting values of fairness, equality and social justice. As such, we feel compelled to express our outrage at the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
As of now, over 31,000 Palestinians and over 1,200 Israelis have been killed since October, according to United Nations communications. 576,000 people in the Gaza Strip are facing famine-like conditions due to blockage of aid and 95% of the population lacks access to safe water. With attacks on hospitals and lack of essential supplies, Gaza’s health care system has collapsed leaving much of the population without access to any treatment.
The Japanese American community has experienced first-hand, the devastating impact of bigotry, wartime hysteria, and the curtailment of civil rights in the name of security. The international community has a responsibility to ensure that International Humanitarian Law is upheld to prevent further innocent civilians from becoming collateral damage in this war.