WILPF’s Des Moines Branch was one of the planners and co-sponsors of a Nov. 11 Armistice Day event at the First Unitarian Church of Des Moines. The event featured Dr. James Zogby, who addressed the question: After two years of war in Gaza, where do we go from here? We invited our friends and the organizations we work with in coalition to join us in person for tabling, appetizers, and community engagement before hearing from Dr. Zogby. We also invited WILPF members from across the US Section to watch his presentation via livestream.

Those in attendance found his remarks to be insightful regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. Over the past five decades, Dr. Zogby has played a leadership role in the Democratic Party and has been involved in five Democratic presidential campaigns. He has received appointments from both Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. He shared that he often found himself at odds with politicians and spoke about some of his conversations with government officials. Dr. Zogby also encouraged us to recall two songs that speak to the themes of Armistice Day: “War (What Is It Good For?)” and “When Will We Ever Learn?” 

Dr. Zogby pointed out two critical realities:

• Seeds being planted in Gaza now will lead to violence in the next century. 
• The sense of empowerment or impunity on the part of Israelis will result in at least another century or two of violence and conflict.

He concluded his presentation by discussing what we must do to address these realities. He emphasized that many people of conscience are actively seeking ways to move forward, suggesting one path must be pressuring candidates running for office:

“We gotta beat some people [candidates] on this issue and have the ones who support justice win…..We don’t have to win them all. Just enough of them to make them aware that you can lose on this issue.”

WILPF’s Des Moines Branch will continue its activism for peace in Gaza with a die-in at the Federal Building on Dec. 5.

Today, we must renew and strengthen our initiatives to transform these circumstances. Here are six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza right now:

• Connect with your member of Congress. Urge them, along with the president and secretary of state, to support an arms embargo and to end all military funding to Israel. We ask those on the Branches listserv to read the announcements shared by Genie Silver, follow her requested actions, and share her emails with your representatives.
• Raise awareness about what’s happening in Gaza. Participate in protests, marches, rallies, and vigils.
• Educate yourself about the Israel-Palestine conflict and amplify Palestinian voices. Consider reading a book or searching for relevant movies or articles online.
• Hold corporations accountable for their roles in violating Palestinian rights in Gaza. The US military-industrial complex enables this war, just as it has with previous attacks on Palestine. Get involved in local efforts to boycott, divest, and sanction.
• Join WILPF’s Middle East Peace & Justice Action Committee (MEPJAC). If you’re interested, please email us at mepjaction@wilpfus.org.
• Make a gift to WILPF US during our end-of-year campaign to support our work on this and many other issues. Additionally, consider supporting one of the many charities that aid Palestine. I’m pleased to share that the Tucson Branch holds an annual fundraiser for the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA). MEPJAC has recently shared voluntary contributions from our webinar with MECA as well. 

Dr. Zogby helped us address the question: Where do we go from here? If you’d like to learn more, you can watch Dr. Zogby’s presentation and the Q&A session. I hope you find them engaging and that they help you answer this critical question.