Monday, October 23, 2023, New Orleans, LA – As the Israeli government continues bombing Gaza, killing over 3,700 Palestinians, and begins preparations for a ground invasion, New Orleans Jews and allies will visit Representative Troy Carter’s offices demanding he sign on to the Ceasefire Now resolution. Organizational partners have asked for a meeting and have been met with silence. Attendees will participate in civil disobedience and are willing to risk arrest.
What: Jews and allies participating in civil disobedience to demand Representative Troy Carter sign on to the ceasefire now resolution.
Who: Jewish Voice for Peace New Orleans, IfNotNow New Orleans, PATOIS, Party for Socialism & Liberation, as well as Jewish community members and Palestinian constituents of Representative Carter.
When: October 23, 2023. 12pm.
Where: 650 Poydras Street New Orleans, LA 70130 outside of the office of Rep. Troy Carter.
Why: The Israeli government is actively committing genocide, war crimes, and atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza. The United States is funding these war crimes by providing $3.8 billion a year to the Israeli government, and Biden just requested an additional $10 billion. Representative Troy Carter can use his power to call for a ceasefire and deny funding the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinian people.
Media welcome: Interviews will be available with Devorah Levy-Pearlman; visuals will include photos of banners, signs, and direct action participants.
After Hamas militants killed 1,400 Israelis on Oct. 7th, the Israeli military has subjected Gaza to non-stop bombing. Health facilities, schools, and a mosque have all been targets of the Israeli military’s bombing campaign. 1.1 million people in Northern Gaza were ordered to evacuate their homes. However, there is no safe refuge anywhere in Gaza.
Israel is withholding food, electricity, and water from the 2.2 million people who live in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry is currently reporting that 3,785 Palestinians have been killed and 12,493 have been injured by Israeli strikes since Oct. 7. 1,524 of those who have been killed are children.
On October 16th, Representative Cori Bush introduced the Ceasefire Now Resolution, urging Biden to call for a ceasefire and de-escalation. A growing list of representatives from across the country have since signed on.
On October 18th, thousands of Jewish Voice for Peace members and allies flooded the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to demand an immediate ceasefire. Hundreds were arrested from the iconic office building of the US House of Representatives, where they refused to allow “business as usual” while Israel wages genocide on the people of Palestine.
Jewish Voice for Peace New Orleans will continue the protest at home in New Orleans demanding a meeting with Representative Troy Carter at his downtown office. Representative Carter has not yet called for a ceasefire, despite the fact that family members of his constituents have died and are continuing to die under Israel’s endless assault and cruel siege.
Jewish Voice for Peace is a national, grassroots organization inspired by Jewish tradition to work for a just and lasting peace according to principles of human rights, equality, and international law for all the people of Israel and Palestine.
