Groups representing veterans, national security experts, peace advocates, human rights defenders and more call on the Biden administration to prioritize pathways for diplomacy amid ongoing tensions throughout the Middle East. 

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), and Win Without War along with 75 other national, state and local organizations, released a joint letter urging the Biden administration to address the dangerous escalatory violence in the Middle East by leading with diplomacy and securing a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. 

The Charity & Security Network is proud to have signed onto this letter.

In light of the recent tragic deaths of U.S. service members in Jordan and calls for striking Iran directly in response, the undersigned organizations are calling for the Biden administration to prioritize a permanent ceasefire in Gaza to both calm tensions throughout the region and keep America out of a potential prolonged war. As the situation in the Middle East worsens with ongoing retaliatory strikes against militias in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, the groups emphasized that there is no military solution to defuse this crisis. 

“Biden campaigned on a promise to end forever wars. In his first address to the UN he furthered this promise,” said Ashleigh Subramanian-Montgomery, associate director, policy & advocacy for the Charity & Security Network. “He promised to end ‘this period of relentless war’ and to begin ‘a new era of relentless diplomacy’, claiming that ‘U.S. military power must be our tool of last resort, not our first.’ Securing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza is Biden’s chance to live up to these promises.” 

“By now, it is clear: Since Israel’s war in Gaza fuels attacks against U.S. troops throughout the region, continued warfare in Gaza constitutes a direct threat to U.S. national security and the safety of US troops,” said Trita Parsi, executive vice president of Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. “To protect our troops, it is imperative that Biden secures a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza.”

“With the Middle East on fire over Gaza, there is an urgent need for multilateral diplomacy to address root causes of violence. More war is not, and has never been, the answer,” said Hassan El-Tayyab, FCNL’s legislative director for Middle East policy. “President Biden must reject calls to escalate with further strikes. Instead, his administration must prioritize peace talks to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and promote de-escalation throughout the Middle East.”

“The most effective way to save lives, including those of our troops, is to demand a ceasefire,” said Aisha Jumaan, President of the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation. “No one benefits from escalating the conflict, and President Biden understands that such escalation could potentially spark a broader regional war that could drag for years and prove challenging to resolve peacefully.”

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The Charity & Security Network is a resource and advocacy center working to promote and protect the ability of nonprofit organizations to carry out peacebuilding, humanitarian, and human rights missions and to advance national security frameworks that support rather than impede this work. Learn more about the Charity & Security Network’s work at www.CharityAndSecurity.org, and follow us on Twitter: @CharitySecurity.

Contact: Ashleigh Subramanian-Montgomery | [email protected] 

 

About Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft is an action-oriented think tank working to promote ideas that move U.S. foreign policy away from endless war, toward military restraint and diplomacy in the pursuit of international peace.

About FCNL

The Friends Committee on National Legislation is a national, nonpartisan Quaker organization that lobbies Congress and the administration to advance peace, justice, and environmental stewardship.

About Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation

The Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation’s aims to increase awareness of the U.S. public and policymakers about the humanitarian crises underway in Yemen, support relief and reconstruction efforts, and facilitate  campaigns to bring peace to the country.

About NIAC

The National Iranian American Council is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 2002 to give voice to the Iranian-American community.

About Win Without War

Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and organizations working for a more peaceful, progressive U.S. foreign policy.