Dear [Elected Official’s Name],
I urge you to take immediate action to enforce a ceasefire in the Middle East. Israel’s invasion of Lebanon has been prefaced with the same rhetoric used to kill over 44,000 Palestinian civilians in Gaza over the past year. Hezbollah has made clear that their actions are in defence of the Palestinian people in Gaza, who are being subjected to genocide. The real military solution is to stop the slaughter in Gaza, not to expand the war into sovereign Lebanon.
After weeks of bombing campaigns targeting Beirut, eastern Lebanon, and a year of indiscriminate bombardment in southern Lebanon, the invasion has begun.
Netanyahu claimed at the UN that Hezbollah has “put a missile in every kitchen, a rocket in every garage.” This same rhetoric has been used to justify Israel’s genocide in Gaza, where civilian infrastructure is constantly targeted and civilians are constantly killed.
Over 1 million people are displaced in Lebanon, in addition to the 1.9 million already displaced in Gaza due to Israeli aggression. Former US diplomat Nabeel Khoury has warned that Israel’s government harbours far-reaching objectives, with plans to re-occupy Lebanese territory and expand its vision of “Greater Israel.”
Israel claims its invasion is aimed at dismantling Hezbollah for the security of northern Israel, but this claim ignores their own devastating cross-border attacks on Lebanon since October 2023, which significantly outweigh any incoming threats – with four times the amount of attacks.
We must sanction Israel. A full arms embargo and a two-way trade embargo must be enforced until Israel ceases its invasion, illegal occupation, blockade and human rights violations in the region; this will also add pressure for a ceasefire. Recognising the State of Palestine and supporting the prosecution of war crimes is essential.
I look forward to your commitment to upholding international law through these actions.
Your constituent,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]