On December 10 Palestinian writer, poet and educator Refaat Alareer will posthumously publish a book, “If I Must Die,” a collection of his poetry and prose. Israel assassinated Refaat Alareer on December 6, 2023 with a targeted airstrike while he was taking refuge with extended family. Let’s help keep his story and his work alive by turning Refaat’s book into the international bestseller it deserves to be. Royalties support his surviving family.
Order it today for yourself and as gifts for others. Suggested purchase options that will help further its reach are:
Then, we urge you to call your representatives about the war in Ukraine.
The Biden Administration recently approved Ukraine’s use of long-range US missile strikes deep inside Russia. This is a step that Biden had previously taken off the table because of the likelihood that it would cause a dangerous escalation and heightened risk of nuclear war. In response, as expected, Russia lowered the threshold on their use of nuclear weapons. In addition, the U.S. is sending cluster bombs to Ukraine – cluster bombs are internationally banned for their history of mutilating children and civilians long after wars come to an end.
As many have been saying for over two years, we must support diplomacy over war in this conflict. With over a million people dead and no military end in sight, it is time for the West to allow negotiations. Nearly 70% of Americans now agree with the need for talks to end this war. Please call your reps to tell them what you think. You can also sign Codepink’s petition.
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Thank you for your action which is so important in these times.
Amy Antonucci, Chair, NH Peace Action Board of Directors
ACTION ALERT for November 18, 2024!
There’s a great deal happening in Washington in the coming week and your help is needed!
First, as you may recall, Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced several bills, along with Senators Welch, Merkley, and Schatz to block some arms transfers to Israel. Collectively, they make up a package of “Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs).” These arms include tank and mortar rounds that have been documented to kill innocent civilians including children, journalists, and medical workers, and other weaponry implicated in war crimes by Israel.
It is very likely that these JRDs will be voted on this week. Senator Jeanne Shaheen is reportedly considering voting in favor of some of them. It’s crucial that you call and let her know that you support ending these weapon transfers. Let Senator Maggie Hassan know the same and that the $20 billion dollars could be better used for humanitarian aid to Gaza and U.S. needs. Their numbers are below.
Second, while you have their staff on the phone, let them know you support Senator Peter Welch’s bill (to be introduced this week) to restore funding to UNRWA (The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees).
And third, H.R. 9594 (the “nonprofit killer bill”) will be back this week. It will allow the Trump Administration to take away nonprofit status from advocacy groups accused of “terrorist connections.” We expect it to be used against peace groups first, but the vague language and process will make it easy to use against many others, too. It was defeated last week because it did not have the required ⅔ majority, even though 52 democratic house members voted with republicans, including Rep. Chris Pappas. This week it only needs a majority vote. This is a complicated bill that has good provisions in it, too, so maybe Rep. Pappas was unaware that it was bad for non-profit groups. Please call and ask him: “Why did you vote for this? Were you aware of the ramifications for non profits?” If Annie Kuster is your representative, call and thank her and ask for her to vote against it again. Their numbers are below.
It’s going to be a busy time for activists in the coming months and years. Let’s try to stay focused, hydrated and healthy and make sure to take some time to recharge your batteries! If you need help with finding information, making calls or writing letters, please reach out to Doreen or Amy and we can help or put you in touch with someone who can.
Thanks for all you do!
Amy Antonucci, Chair, NH Peace Action Board of Directors
Keep calling your representatives…
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Today we bring you an invitation to join us for a Vigil in Dover, then three legislative alerts.
Mother’s Day Honoring Vigil: Please join us for a special vigil in Dover on Friday, May 10 at 2:30 PM at the office of Congressman Chris Pappas, 660 Central Avenue. As famine and the Israeli government’s bombing of refugee camps in Rafah escalate an already catastrophic situation in Gaza, join NH Peace Action, AFSC, Veterans for Peace, the Community Church of Durham, Palestine Education Network, Peace with Justice Advocates of NHCUCC and other groups to implore Congressman Pappas to act for an immediate end to the violence and an end to US military aid to Israel. We will have a program of songs and interfaith prayers, and we will read Julia Ward Howe’s Mothers Day proclamation. A small group will enter the office to relay our messages to the Congressman’s staff. (Note that this vigil is in addition to our weekly Wednesday vigils.)
“From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, “Disarm, disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice.” Blood does not wipe out dishonor nor violence indicate possession.” – Julia Ward Howe’s proclamation for the original Mothers Day in 1870
Legislative Alerts:
RAFAH: After rejecting a ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas, the Israeli military forced Palestinian families to flee their tents in eastern Rafah, dropped bomb after bomb in western Rafah, and stormed the Rafah crossing, cutting off any access to humanitarian aid entirely.
Please make a call to your Senators and Representatives and demand that they take meaningful action to stop the carnage.
ATTACKING NONPROFITS: In April, the House of Representatives passed HR 6408 by a vote of 382-11. This legislation would grant the secretary of the treasury broad power to designate any charity as a “terrorist supporting organization” and remove its tax-exempt status within 90 days. The Senate introduced its companion measure, S 4136, shortly after.
Nonprofits, like other organizations, are already restricted from providing funding to foreign terrorist organizations under numerous anti-terrorism laws. The new bill would allow the feds to shut down a charity without an official terrorism designation, according to Matthew Pettiin Reason, April 2024. This new legislation is worrisome given recent charges of terrorism leveled at U.S.-based Palestinian organizations and student groups. Read more about this here.
Please call or write your Representative and ask them to vote NO on S 4136 when it comes up for a vote. Please call or write your Senator to vote NO on both bills when they come up for a vote.
ANTI-SEMITISM AWARENESS ACT: The U.S. House of Representatives and the NH House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee approved language last week that conflates criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism and hate speech. H.R. 6090, which expand the federal definition of anti-Semitism despite opposition from civil liberties groups and allow crackdowns on anti-war protestors, passed the House on May 2. Chris Pappas is a cosponsor of this. We suggest you tell him what you think about that. then call your Senators and urge them to vote NO on H.R. 6090 – Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of 2023 when it reaches them.
Over the weekend, the US House of Representatives passed the $95 billion package of foreign aid bills that includes military funding for Israel. While we pressured Rep. Kuster and Rep. Pappas to vote no, it was not a surprise that they both voted in favor. The package now goes to the Senate, where a vote is expected Tuesday afternoon and is likely to pass. We still need to tell our elected officials to ensure that military aid to Israel– or any other country– conforms to US and international law.
Action #1: Contact Senator Shaheen to demand full enforcement of the Leahy Law.
Last week, one of our action alerts focused on telling our elected officials to enforce the Leahy Law , which prohibits US military aid to countries with documented human rights abuses. This need was confirmed by an investigative report that found State Department staff had recommended to Sec. Blinken that arms sales be restricted to a specific Israel military unit with recorded abuses, but he was refusing. The report– and our engagement with elected officials– have resulted in some small progress. It is reported that the US will soon place arms sales restrictions to that unit. This is a positive first step, but we need to continue to call on Sen. Shaheen to pressure the State Department to fully enforce the Leahy Law and sanction Israeli security forces implicated in human rights violations.
Action #2: Two New Hampshire bills to oppose: SB 439 and SB 563
In past legislative action alerts we highlighted the need to oppose SB 439, that would limit boycott efforts aimed at Israel. The public hearing has passed, but the House Executive Departments committee plans to take it up today, April 23. You can still contact the committee and urge them to vote no on this bill.
On Wednesday, the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee will take up
SB 563, the ‘“anti-sanctuary cities” bill that would require NH law enforcement to engage in Federal immigration enforcement. The public hearing was last week and NH Peace Action joined other groups in opposing the bill. Please contact the committee and urge them to vote no on this bill.
Action #3: Tell Rep. Kuster and Rep. Pappas to vote no on PERA Act
The Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act (PERA Act) would authorize $2.5 billion dollars in military aid to the Philippines. Peace and environmental activists in the Philippines oppose this because of its negative impact on the environment and that it represents an escalation in military tension with China. Read here for more information.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
The situation in Gaza and the wider Middle East is extremely volatile right now. After the escalation over the weekend, there are a variety of scenarios that can play out in the coming days, including an all out war between Israel and Iran. The crisis and violence in Gaza remain. In the US House, there is a push to pass the supplemental military aid package to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. This bill was passed by the Senate months ago. The House may pass a stand alone bill to provide Israel military funding, which would then go quickly to the Senate. Biden has stated he wants Israel to de-escalate. Regardless of his words, the best thing we can do for peace and de-escalation is to stop continued military aid to Israel, especially given they are not in compliance with US and international law.
The key messages for our legislative action alert remain the same:
Permanent ceasefire now
Restore UNRWA and increase humanitarian aid
Stop military aid to Israel
Prevent a wider war
Action 1: Tell Reps. Kuster & Pappas to vote no on military aid to Israel.
The key message is that Israel is not following US Law. It receives military aid, but blocks humanitarian aid, a violation of Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act. You can ask your representative why they did not sign on to the Pocan letter calling for an end to weapons transfers to Israel while they continue to block humanitarian aid.
Action 2: Tell Senators Hassan & Shaheen no new military aid to Israel and enforce the Leahy Law
If the House passes a stand alone Israel military aid package, it will go to the Senate quickly and we want our Senators to vote no. We also want to raise our concern that the US is violating the Leahy Law which prohibits US military aid to countries with documented human rights abuses, which includes Israel’s indiscriminate bombing in Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank.
Action 3: Tell all four legislators & President Biden to address the violence and humanitarian crisis in Sudan
Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the start of a new war in Sudan that has led to a massive humanitarian crisis, including famine. For many reasons, this crisis has been ignored and we need to start pressuring our elected officials to do something. This website has good information and messaging for contacting elected officials and important decision makers.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
This week we have three action alerts for you to engage your various legislators and to move them towards peace. Ideally, you can do all three. Moving forward we plan to give you more options for our weekly action alerts, including other pressing issues of war and peace beyond Gaza.
Action One: Tell New Hampshire state legislators to oppose SB 439
Tomorrow, Wednesday April 10, the New Hampshire House Executive Departments and Administration Committee will take up , SB 439, a bill that would ban businesses which participate in a boycott of Israel from receiving NH state contracts, funds, or investments.
Please contact NH state legislators and tell them to oppose this bill.
Email or call your own state representatives (if they are not on the committee) and ask them to oppose SB 439 on the House floor. You can find out who your state representatives are using this tool on the NH House website.
Testify against SB 439 in person during its public hearing on Wednesday, April 10, at 2:30pm. The hearing will be in Room 306-308 of the Legislative Office Building (33 N State St) in Concord; the building is located behind the NH State House.
Action Two: Ask Rep. Kuster and Rep. Pappas to sign on to Rep Pocan’s letter
In Washington, a letter is circulating in the House by Rep. Pocan– and signed by Rep. Pelosi, among nearly 40 members– that urge President Biden to “withhold pending offensive weapons transfers to Israel. . . and to place conditions on future weapons assistance.” Read news coverage HERE
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Action Three: Ask Sen. Shaheen and Sen. Hassan “what do you believe in?”
Over the last few months, NHPA members have had productive and respectful discussions with staff from Sen. Shaheen and Sen. Hassan’s office. We have seen some movement towards peace– especially from See. Shaheen– but neither of our Senator’s have made clear public statements about what they believe in to stop the violence and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. One reason may simply be that they are not being asked enough by the people they represent. Let us know what response you get from them.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Do you want to be involved in the electoral process in NH Congressional District 2?
Rep. Kuster will not be seeking reelection. If you are interested in working with other peace activists to explore ways to engage in the electoral processwith this open Congressional seat, please let us know HERE.
Tim Lenoch, NHPA Director
ACTION ALERT for April 2, 2024!
We still encourage folks to contact their Federal legislators to ask them to support and lead in demanding a ceasefire, to restore UNRWA funding, and expand humanitarian aid to Gaza. There is no new specific legislation this week, but we hope something will develop soon, especially as there appears to be some positive movement.
We have a specific action for those in Rep. Kuster’s district: this past Friday, NHPA leaders and partners with the Back from the Brink Campaign met with staff from Kuster’s office to urge her to sign on toHouse Resolution 77, which “calls on the United States to embrace the goals and provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.” Kuster’s staff was unaware of this resolution and now is the time to encourage her to sign on. Please contact us if you would like to get more involved in this topic, including writing letters and getting participating in our project with Back from the Brink.
While much of our advocacy around ending the devastating fighting and atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank has been directed at the U.S. Congress and the Biden administration, we would also like to spotlight another avenue taken by organizers around the world: boycotts of the Israeli government and other institutions (often companies) that support the continued Israeli military operation in Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian territories in the West Bank. Unfortunately, there is active state legislation in New Hampshire right now that seeks to crack down on these boycotts. Today’s action alert is about how we can take action to oppose this anti-boycott bill.
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is currently handling a bill, SB 439, that would ban businesses which participate in a boycott of Israel from receiving NH state contracts, funds, or investments. While SB 439 does not outright ban New Hampshire businesses from taking part in boycotts, it would serve to intimidate companies out of engaging in this nonviolent form of protest against Israeli apartheid. This would stifle an important method for stopping U.S. complicity in human rights abuses against Palestinians.
If SB 439 sounds familiar, it might be because we wrote an action alert back in January asking for help to oppose this bill in the NH Senate. Unfortunately, SB 439 passed in the Senate in February on a voice vote, and it is now before the NH House (which must pass the bill before it can reach the governor’s desk). NH Governor Chris Sununu has already backed the bill, which would codify an anti-boycott executive order he signed last summer and make it a permanent part of NH state law. As such, it is imperative that we stop SB 439 in the NH House of Representatives.
There will be an opportunity to oppose SB 439 when it is up for a public hearing in the NH House Executive Departments and Administration Committee on Wednesday, April 10, at 2:30pm in Concord. Whether you can testify against the bill in person or can only take action remotely, here are some steps you can take to stop this anti-boycott bill.
Register your opposition to SB 439 using the NH House sign-in portal. Once you are on the sign-in page, enter your name and town/city before selecting the hearing date (April 10), committee (House Executive Departments and Administration), the bill number (SB 439), and your position (oppose) before you submit. You have the option to submit written testimony on the form as well.
Email the House Executive Departments and Administration Committee and ask them to vote against SB 439. You can email the whole committee at HouseExecutiveDepartmentsandAdministration@leg.state.nh.us or find the contact information for individual members on the committee page.
Email or call your own state representatives (if they are not on the committee) and ask them to oppose SB 439 on the House floor. You can find out who your state representatives are using this tool on the NH House website.
Write letters to the editor in your local newspaper explaining why you oppose SB 439.
Show up to testify against SB 439 in person during its public hearing on Wednesday, April 10, at 2:30pm. The hearing will be in Room 306-308 of the Legislative Office Building (33 N State St) in Concord; the building is located behind the NH State House.
For more information on all of these possible actions and to see guidance on preparing testimony, you can visit an action toolkit from Upper Valley for Palestine at: tinyurl.com/stop-sb439NH
Hayden Smith for NH Peace Action
ACTION ALERT for March 26, 2024!
Today we start with an update on national action on Gaza, give a short update on Haiti, then tell you about local actions that need your support.
New Hampshire Peace Action continues to organize for a just peace in Gaza, where the death toll has now surpassed 32,000 and basic necessities remain scarce as half of Gaza’s population is at risk of famine. The flow of critical humanitarian aid has been stymied by the Israeli government, which announced over the weekend that it will not approve the passage of food aid convoys operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the main UN agency supplying aid to Palestinians in Gaza, into northern Gaza. The Israeli government continues to allege that the agency has been infiltrated by Hamas (even though these claims are under increasing scrutiny), and the U.S. government has so far continued to block funding to UNRWA even as countries like Canada, Australia, Sweden, and Finland have restored their funding to the agency over the past month.
We are particularly disturbed that the U.S. Congress passed a government spending package last week that included a provision banning U.S. funding for UNRWA until March 2025. This same spending package also included $3.8 billion in military aid for Israel as part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s $886 billion budget. While we did not want a U.S. government shutdown, we did not see any serious efforts from our representatives to remove these damaging provisions from the spending package, and the entire New Hampshire congressional delegation ultimately voted to pass the spending package. We hear that the spending package also prohibits funding for UN investigations into the Israeli government’s human rights violations.
We encourage you to call your federal lawmakers to voice your disappointment with continuation of the ban on U.S. funding of UNRWA and let them know that the U.S. funding should go to critical aid agencies like UNRWA, not toward giving more weapons to the Israeli military. Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN-7) has also pledged to introduce a new standalone bill that would restore funding to UNRWA, and now is the time to begin building support for this legislation as we await its formal introduction in Congress.
We also need urgent action to ensure that U.S. troops don’t launch an armed intervention into Haiti. The crisis in Haiti is indeed alarming, with violent gang warfare leaving the country without an elected government and contributing to a worsening humanitarian crisis. While we feel compelled to offer whatever support we can to people in Haiti and refugees who are fleeing, we must stand firm in opposing calls among some in the U.S. government for a U.S. military intervention into the country. Haiti has a violent past with foreign interventions that have often left it hobbled with dysfunctional, foreign-installed governments that ultimately collapse. Though we must provide aid, a U.S. military intervention would undermine Haiti’s sovereignty further, and we must remind our federal lawmakers and the Biden administration of this.
Whether you wish to call about Gaza, Haiti, or both, you can call the NH congressional delegation and the White House using the contact information below.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
On the local front in New Hampshire, we continue to see activity around municipal resolutions calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. These resolutions have proven to be useful tools for pressuring the congressional delegation and mobilizing more local residents around the crisis in Gaza. If you live in or near the following cities, we encourage you to contact your aldermen or city councilors and speak in support of a ceasefire resolution.
In Nashua, activists with Southern NH for Palestine and other groups are continuing to show up to Board of Aldermen meetings to request the introduction of a ceasefire resolution. They are asking supporters to attend the next Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday, March 26, at 7:30pm in Nashua City Hall and use the public comment period to advocate for such a resolution. If you can’t come in person, you can also sign a petition and/or contact your aldermen.
In Dover, local organizers with Southern NH for Palestine, the American Friends Service Committee, and other groups have worked with a city councilor to get a draft ceasefire resolution on the agenda! The city council is due to take up this resolution at its next meeting on Wednesday, March 27, at 7:00pm in Dover City Hall. Organizers are asking local residents to come and speak in support of passing the ceasefire resolution. Please note that public comment is only open to Dover residents or business owners, though others are welcome to attend the meeting to provide quiet support. If you can’t come, we recommend contacting your city councilors to ask for their support.
The myriad of armed violence and humanitarian crises around the world can feel overwhelming, but even if you can take one small action for peace this week, we can make a collective difference. The pace of change is awfully slow, the U.S. government is feeling the pressure and slowly shifting its stance. Just this week, a ceasefire resolution cleared the UN Security Council in a 14-0 vote after the U.S, finally stopped using its veto and instead abstained. We still have far to go, but there is momentum on our side.
Hayden Smith for NH Peace Action
Action & Legislative Alert for March 19, 2024
The crisis in Gaza continues to be our top priority with legislative action. Violence continues, the threat of famine is imminent, and victims have limited access to desperately needed medical care.
Activism to demand a ceasefire is growing and appears to have some, limited, success. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer’s speech on the floor late last week opened a much needed discussion at high levels of decision making, and Biden seems to agree with Schumer’s message. Biden and Netanyahu have recently spoken for the first time in a month and Israel will send a delegation to DC to discuss possible escalation of the violence with an assault on Rafah.Tell President Biden to stand up to Netanyahu and use his power to demand a ceasefire and get aid into Gaza. You can do so using this email tool from our friends at Win Without War.
In addition to Schumer’s speech, key Senate leaders are pushing Biden to demand from Netanyahu both a ceasefire and for Israel to allow aid to enter Gaza. We want our New Hampshire Senators to take on this leadership as well.
As we shared on Friday, we are cautiously optimistic that Sen. Shaheen stated on a recent radio program: “We need a cease fire, we need to get humanitarian aid into the people of Gaza who are suffering, and we need to do it now.” (You listenHERE,the comment is at 10:53.)
We need to contact Sen. Shaheen and thank her for making this statement, but she needs to follow her words with action by signing on to a letter from her Senate colleagues to President Biden stating that Israel is in violation of Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act by limiting humanitarian aid to Gaza. Here is an article in Common Dreams and the letter from the senators to the president is HERE.
Please continue to contact all four of our Federal Legislators with both our demands for a ceasefire a simple question or two for them: What are you doing to prevent the killing of thousands of innocent people by the Israeli military and what are doing to prevent a famine in Gaza?
Another Legislation Action at the Federal level is asking our representatives to support the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act. The Korean War was suspended by an armistice agreement in 1953, but a permanent peace agreement is still needed. Tell your elected representatives to co-sponsor the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act!
At the state level in New Hampshire, we continue to oppose SB 439, a bill seeking to crack down on nonviolent boycotts of Israel by banning New Hampshire state investments and contracts from going to businesses that are participating in a boycott of Israel. The bill passed the Senate and is now in the House Executive Departments and Administration committee, which meets this Wednesday, although this bill is not on the agenda as of right now.
Please contact your NH House Representative, especially if they serve on the committee, and urge them to oppose this bill that seeks to limit people power that comes from collective action.
You can find the committee members HERE. And you can use this tool on the NH General Court website to find the contact information of your NH House representatives.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Famine is setting in across Gaza as adequate humanitarian aid remains out of reach for so many Palestinians in the Strip, largely due to continued Israeli restrictions and bombing. As the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins, hunger and malnutrition are becoming increasingly deadly conditions in Gaza, particularly for children and the elderly.
The Biden administration has responded by beginning airdrops of food into Gaza and ordering the U.S. military to begin constructing a floating pier off the Gaza coast to allow the shipment of more aid by sea. While we welcome the delivery of any humanitarian aid into Gaza, the U.S. government’s current shipments fall far short of the amount that could be transported by land, and it is gravely concerning that the U.S. continues to arm and support the Israeli military, the entity not only causing so much devastation but limiting the flow of aid.
That is why we urge you to contact the White House this week to demand that President Biden put more pressure on the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to lift its onerous restrictions on aid to Gaza and clear the way for more desperately needed humanitarian supplies to Palestinians. You can do so using this email tool from our friends at Win Without War. We also suggest that you call on the New Hampshire congressional delegation to do the same (in addition to restoring U.S. funding for UNRWA) using the contact information below.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
We should also provide an update on more local actions. Across New Hampshire, we have seen several displays of public support for a just peace in the form of municipal resolutions calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We are heartened by the passage of such resolutions in the Lebanon City Council and Durham Town Council, which has strengthened our case to our congressional delegation that Granite Staters want the U.S. to support a ceasefire. That said, not all of the proposed ceasefire resolutions have been successful. Just last week, after hearing lengthy testimony from all sides, the Portsmouth City Council voted 7-2 to consider a councilor-drafted ceasefire resolution as “non-germane” to city business, preventing the resolution from receiving a formal vote. The next day, the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 13-1 to bar voting on any ceasefire resolution for the rest of their current term. Similar challenges are ahead in the Concord City Council, where the mayor and several councilors have argued that a ceasefire resolution is outside the scope of their work.
This goes to show that we need to be vocal with NH city councilors about the relevance and importance of local ceasefire resolutions while we still push for meaningful action at the federal level. We will have the opportunity to do just that this week in the following NH cities:
Nashua: Sign a petition calling on the Nashua Board of Aldermen to introduce and pass a ceasefire resolution. If you can, come to Nashua City Hall this Tuesday, March 12, at 7:30pm to speak in favor of a ceasefire resolution during the public comment section of the Board of Aldermen meeting. Alternatively, email your aldermen if you are a Nashua resident.
Dover: Come to Dover City Hall this Wednesday, March 13, at 7:00pm to call for the introduction and adoption of a ceasefire resolution during the public comment section of the City Council meeting. If you are a Dover resident, you can also email your city councilors. [Please note that you must be a resident, taxpayer, or business owner in Dover in order to speak during public comment at Dover City Council meetings.]
Additionally, you can support ongoing efforts toward other municipal measures relating to Gaza in the city of Lebanon, where the city’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Commission is working on a more substantial ceasefire resolution to follow up on the very basic resolution passed by the City Council last month. Recently, several area residents have been pressuring the commission to drop or significantly water down the proposed resolution, so organizers with Upper Valley for Palestine are encouraging members of the public to submit their own comments in support of a substantive resolution to the commission. You can offer comments to the Lebanon DEI Commission by using the city’s Board and Committees Contact Form.
Thank you for your action, at whatever level. Though the process can be excruciatingly slow as lives continue to be lost, we are starting to see gradual shifts in the U.S. government’s support for the Israeli military’s deadly campaign in Gaza. We must seize the moment by pressing our case for a just peace in Gaza and across the region.
Action & Legislative Alert for March 4, 2024
There will be a flurry of action in New Hampshire and across the country this week aimed at compelling the U.S. government to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and adequately fund desperately needed humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Please read on to see ways you can get involved.
This Monday, March 4th, we have a chance to pass municipal resolutions calling for a Gaza ceasefire in two New Hampshire communities: Durham and Portsmouth. The Durham Town Council is set to vote on the town manager’s draft ceasefire resolution during its 7:00 pm meeting at the Durham Town Hall (8 Newmarket Road), while the Portsmouth City Council will vote on its own ceasefire resolution at the City Council Chambers (1 Junkins Avenue). If you reside in either Durham or Portsmouth, we urge you to contact your town or city councilors in support of the local ceasefire resolution proposal and consider attending either of this Monday’s meetings. Non-residents are also welcome to speak in either Durham or Portsmouth, though we recommend that you mention how you are connected to the community (work, worship, family, etc.).
DURHAM: Find contact information for town councilors by clicking here (draft resolution available on the meeting packet).
PORTSMOUTH: Find contact information for city councilors by clicking here (draft resolution available on the meeting packet).
At a time when we are still struggling to get the U.S. federal government to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to end unconditional military aid to Israel in the face of the collective punishment of Palestinians, passing ceasefire resolutions in our towns and cities is one avenue for putting more pressure on our New Hampshire congressional delegation and the Biden administration to act. Some may say that town and city governments should not be weighing in on international affairs, but when our federal taxpayer dollars are being used to fund devastating armed violence that has created a humanitarian catastrophe for Palestinians and officials in the federal government will not cooperate with our pleas to stop this, we believe it is within the purview of local governments to advise our federal representatives on a better course of action. Additionally, these resolutions can help spread awareness about the devastation in Gaza and emphasize that the community stands in solidarity with all local individuals who have faced hate or feared for their safety in New Hampshire as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. The city of Lebanon, NH, has already passed a preliminary ceasefire resolution, and we hope to have more NH communities do the same.
At the federal level, NH Peace Action is part of a national effort urging the U.S. government to restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). U.S. funding to UNRWA has remained suspended since late January after the Israeli government accused the agency of having members of Hamas on its staff who participated in the October 7th attacks; this suspension of funding has left UNRWA in a precarious position to continue its crucial work in Gaza at the exact same time that the humanitarian crisis is worsening. In the wake of the killing of over 100 people who were attempting to collect food from an aid convoy in Gaza City last Thursday (in what Israeli forces said was a stampede and eyewitnesses described as Israeli soldiers opening fire on aid-seekers) and growing scrutiny of the Israeli government’s accusations against the agency, the European Union recently moved to partially restore funding to UNRWA. We must push the U.S. to follow the European Union’s lead so UNRWA can deliver critical food, water, and medical supplies to desperate Palestinians. The Biden administration has tried to placate concerns by instructing the U.S. military to airdrop aid into Gaza, but the impact of this approach falls well short of what can be achieved by ground-distributed aid. We need UNRWA to be properly funded to take on the unfolding humanitarian disaster.
Our national Peace Action organizers have created this email tool to contact your members of Congress about unfreezing U.S. aid to UNRWA. You can also call your lawmakers and the White House using the contact information below.
And please provide your input by completing this survey regarding NHPA’s structure and work. Click HERE for the survey.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Weekly Legislative & Action Alerts
ACTION ALERT for December 10, 2024!
On December 10 Palestinian writer, poet and educator Refaat Alareer will posthumously publish a book, “If I Must Die,” a collection of his poetry and prose. Israel assassinated Refaat Alareer on December 6, 2023 with a targeted airstrike while he was taking refuge with extended family. Let’s help keep his story and his work alive by turning Refaat’s book into the international bestseller it deserves to be. Royalties support his surviving family.
Order it today for yourself and as gifts for others. Suggested purchase options that will help further its reach are:
Amazon (helps boost Amazon ranking)
Bookshop.org (counts toward NYT bestseller list)
Then, we urge you to call your representatives about the war in Ukraine.
The Biden Administration recently approved Ukraine’s use of long-range US missile strikes deep inside Russia. This is a step that Biden had previously taken off the table because of the likelihood that it would cause a dangerous escalation and heightened risk of nuclear war. In response, as expected, Russia lowered the threshold on their use of nuclear weapons. In addition, the U.S. is sending cluster bombs to Ukraine – cluster bombs are internationally banned for their history of mutilating children and civilians long after wars come to an end.
As many have been saying for over two years, we must support diplomacy over war in this conflict. With over a million people dead and no military end in sight, it is time for the West to allow negotiations. Nearly 70% of Americans now agree with the need for talks to end this war. Please call your reps to tell them what you think. You can also sign Codepink’s petition.
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02): Call (202) 225-5206 / (603) 226-1002
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Thank you for your action which is so important in these times.
ACTION ALERT for November 18, 2024!
There’s a great deal happening in Washington in the coming week and your help is needed!
First, as you may recall, Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced several bills, along with Senators Welch, Merkley, and Schatz to block some arms transfers to Israel. Collectively, they make up a package of “Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs).” These arms include tank and mortar rounds that have been documented to kill innocent civilians including children, journalists, and medical workers, and other weaponry implicated in war crimes by Israel.
It is very likely that these JRDs will be voted on this week. Senator Jeanne Shaheen is reportedly considering voting in favor of some of them. It’s crucial that you call and let her know that you support ending these weapon transfers. Let Senator Maggie Hassan know the same and that the $20 billion dollars could be better used for humanitarian aid to Gaza and U.S. needs. Their numbers are below.
Second, while you have their staff on the phone, let them know you support Senator Peter Welch’s bill (to be introduced this week) to restore funding to UNRWA (The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees).
And third, H.R. 9594 (the “nonprofit killer bill”) will be back this week. It will allow the Trump Administration to take away nonprofit status from advocacy groups accused of “terrorist connections.” We expect it to be used against peace groups first, but the vague language and process will make it easy to use against many others, too. It was defeated last week because it did not have the required ⅔ majority, even though 52 democratic house members voted with republicans, including Rep. Chris Pappas. This week it only needs a majority vote. This is a complicated bill that has good provisions in it, too, so maybe Rep. Pappas was unaware that it was bad for non-profit groups. Please call and ask him: “Why did you vote for this? Were you aware of the ramifications for non profits?” If Annie Kuster is your representative, call and thank her and ask for her to vote against it again. Their numbers are below.
It’s going to be a busy time for activists in the coming months and years. Let’s try to stay focused, hydrated and healthy and make sure to take some time to recharge your batteries! If you need help with finding information, making calls or writing letters, please reach out to Doreen or Amy and we can help or put you in touch with someone who can.
Thanks for all you do!
Amy Antonucci, Chair, NH Peace Action Board of Directors
Keep calling your representatives…
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02): Call (202) 225-5206 / (603) 226-1002
President Biden: (202) 456-1111 and https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
VP Kamala Harris: (202) 456-1111, https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/vicepresident/
Amy Antonucci, Chair
ACTION ALERT for April 23, 2024!
Today we bring you an invitation to join us for a Vigil in Dover, then three legislative alerts.
Mother’s Day Honoring Vigil: Please join us for a special vigil in Dover on Friday, May 10 at 2:30 PM at the office of Congressman Chris Pappas, 660 Central Avenue. As famine and the Israeli government’s bombing of refugee camps in Rafah escalate an already catastrophic situation in Gaza, join NH Peace Action, AFSC, Veterans for Peace, the Community Church of Durham, Palestine Education Network, Peace with Justice Advocates of NHCUCC and other groups to implore Congressman Pappas to act for an immediate end to the violence and an end to US military aid to Israel. We will have a program of songs and interfaith prayers, and we will read Julia Ward Howe’s Mothers Day proclamation. A small group will enter the office to relay our messages to the Congressman’s staff. (Note that this vigil is in addition to our weekly Wednesday vigils.)
“From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, “Disarm, disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice.” Blood does not wipe out dishonor nor violence indicate possession.” – Julia Ward Howe’s proclamation for the original Mothers Day in 1870
Legislative Alerts:
RAFAH: After rejecting a ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas, the Israeli military forced Palestinian families to flee their tents in eastern Rafah, dropped bomb after bomb in western Rafah, and stormed the Rafah crossing, cutting off any access to humanitarian aid entirely.
Please make a call to your Senators and Representatives and demand that they take meaningful action to stop the carnage.
ATTACKING NONPROFITS: In April, the House of Representatives passed HR 6408 by a vote of 382-11. This legislation would grant the secretary of the treasury broad power to designate any charity as a “terrorist supporting organization” and remove its tax-exempt status within 90 days. The Senate introduced its companion measure, S 4136, shortly after.
Nonprofits, like other organizations, are already restricted from providing funding to foreign terrorist organizations under numerous anti-terrorism laws. The new bill would allow the feds to shut down a charity without an official terrorism designation, according to Matthew Petti in Reason, April 2024. This new legislation is worrisome given recent charges of terrorism leveled at U.S.-based Palestinian organizations and student groups. Read more about this here.
Please call or write your Representative and ask them to vote NO on S 4136 when it comes up for a vote. Please call or write your Senator to vote NO on both bills when they come up for a vote.
ANTI-SEMITISM AWARENESS ACT: The U.S. House of Representatives and the NH House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee approved language last week that conflates criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism and hate speech. H.R. 6090, which expand the federal definition of anti-Semitism despite opposition from civil liberties groups and allow crackdowns on anti-war protestors, passed the House on May 2. Chris Pappas is a cosponsor of this. We suggest you tell him what you think about that. then call your Senators and urge them to vote NO on H.R. 6090 – Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of 2023 when it reaches them.
See this ACLU Press Release for more info about the national bill.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02): Call (202) 225-5206 / (603) 226-1002
President Biden: (202) 456-1111 and https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
ACTION ALERT for April 23, 2024!
Over the weekend, the US House of Representatives passed the $95 billion package of foreign aid bills that includes military funding for Israel. While we pressured Rep. Kuster and Rep. Pappas to vote no, it was not a surprise that they both voted in favor. The package now goes to the Senate, where a vote is expected Tuesday afternoon and is likely to pass. We still need to tell our elected officials to ensure that military aid to Israel– or any other country– conforms to US and international law.
Action #1: Contact Senator Shaheen to demand full enforcement of the Leahy Law.
Last week, one of our action alerts focused on telling our elected officials to enforce the Leahy Law , which prohibits US military aid to countries with documented human rights abuses. This need was confirmed by an investigative report that found State Department staff had recommended to Sec. Blinken that arms sales be restricted to a specific Israel military unit with recorded abuses, but he was refusing. The report– and our engagement with elected officials– have resulted in some small progress. It is reported that the US will soon place arms sales restrictions to that unit. This is a positive first step, but we need to continue to call on Sen. Shaheen to pressure the State Department to fully enforce the Leahy Law and sanction Israeli security forces implicated in human rights violations.
Action #2: Two New Hampshire bills to oppose: SB 439 and SB 563
In past legislative action alerts we highlighted the need to oppose SB 439, that would limit boycott efforts aimed at Israel. The public hearing has passed, but the House Executive Departments committee plans to take it up today, April 23. You can still contact the committee and urge them to vote no on this bill.
On Wednesday, the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee will take up
SB 563, the ‘“anti-sanctuary cities” bill that would require NH law enforcement to engage in Federal immigration enforcement. The public hearing was last week and NH Peace Action joined other groups in opposing the bill. Please contact the committee and urge them to vote no on this bill.
Action #3: Tell Rep. Kuster and Rep. Pappas to vote no on PERA Act
The Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act (PERA Act) would authorize $2.5 billion dollars in military aid to the Philippines. Peace and environmental activists in the Philippines oppose this because of its negative impact on the environment and that it represents an escalation in military tension with China. Read here for more information.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02): Call (202) 225-5206 / (603) 226-1002
President Biden: (202) 456-1111 and https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Tim Lenoch, NHPA Director
ACTION ALERT for April 16, 2024!
The situation in Gaza and the wider Middle East is extremely volatile right now. After the escalation over the weekend, there are a variety of scenarios that can play out in the coming days, including an all out war between Israel and Iran. The crisis and violence in Gaza remain. In the US House, there is a push to pass the supplemental military aid package to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. This bill was passed by the Senate months ago. The House may pass a stand alone bill to provide Israel military funding, which would then go quickly to the Senate. Biden has stated he wants Israel to de-escalate. Regardless of his words, the best thing we can do for peace and de-escalation is to stop continued military aid to Israel, especially given they are not in compliance with US and international law.
The key messages for our legislative action alert remain the same:
Action 1: Tell Reps. Kuster & Pappas to vote no on military aid to Israel.
The key message is that Israel is not following US Law. It receives military aid, but blocks humanitarian aid, a violation of Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act. You can ask your representative why they did not sign on to the Pocan letter calling for an end to weapons transfers to Israel while they continue to block humanitarian aid.
Action 2: Tell Senators Hassan & Shaheen no new military aid to Israel and enforce the Leahy Law
If the House passes a stand alone Israel military aid package, it will go to the Senate quickly and we want our Senators to vote no. We also want to raise our concern that the US is violating the Leahy Law which prohibits US military aid to countries with documented human rights abuses, which includes Israel’s indiscriminate bombing in Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank.
Action 3: Tell all four legislators & President Biden to address the violence and humanitarian crisis in Sudan
Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the start of a new war in Sudan that has led to a massive humanitarian crisis, including famine. For many reasons, this crisis has been ignored and we need to start pressuring our elected officials to do something. This website has good information and messaging for contacting elected officials and important decision makers.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02): Call (202) 225-5206 / (603) 226-1002
President Biden: (202) 456-1111 and https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Tim Lenoch, NHPA Director
ACTION ALERT for April 9, 2024!
This week we have three action alerts for you to engage your various legislators and to move them towards peace. Ideally, you can do all three. Moving forward we plan to give you more options for our weekly action alerts, including other pressing issues of war and peace beyond Gaza.
Action One: Tell New Hampshire state legislators to oppose SB 439
Tomorrow, Wednesday April 10, the New Hampshire House Executive Departments and Administration Committee will take up , SB 439, a bill that would ban businesses which participate in a boycott of Israel from receiving NH state contracts, funds, or investments.
Please contact NH state legislators and tell them to oppose this bill.
Action Two: Ask Rep. Kuster and Rep. Pappas to sign on to Rep Pocan’s letter
In Washington, a letter is circulating in the House by Rep. Pocan– and signed by Rep. Pelosi, among nearly 40 members– that urge President Biden to “withhold pending offensive weapons transfers to Israel. . . and to place conditions on future weapons assistance.” Read news coverage HERE
Action Three: Ask Sen. Shaheen and Sen. Hassan “what do you believe in?”
Over the last few months, NHPA members have had productive and respectful discussions with staff from Sen. Shaheen and Sen. Hassan’s office. We have seen some movement towards peace– especially from See. Shaheen– but neither of our Senator’s have made clear public statements about what they believe in to stop the violence and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. One reason may simply be that they are not being asked enough by the people they represent. Let us know what response you get from them.
Do you want to be involved in the electoral process in NH Congressional District 2?
Rep. Kuster will not be seeking reelection. If you are interested in working with other peace activists to explore ways to engage in the electoral process with this open Congressional seat, please let us know HERE.
Tim Lenoch, NHPA Director
ACTION ALERT for April 2, 2024!
We still encourage folks to contact their Federal legislators to ask them to support and lead in demanding a ceasefire, to restore UNRWA funding, and expand humanitarian aid to Gaza. There is no new specific legislation this week, but we hope something will develop soon, especially as there appears to be some positive movement.
We have a specific action for those in Rep. Kuster’s district: this past Friday, NHPA leaders and partners with the Back from the Brink Campaign met with staff from Kuster’s office to urge her to sign on to House Resolution 77, which “calls on the United States to embrace the goals and provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.” Kuster’s staff was unaware of this resolution and now is the time to encourage her to sign on. Please contact us if you would like to get more involved in this topic, including writing letters and getting participating in our project with Back from the Brink.
While much of our advocacy around ending the devastating fighting and atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank has been directed at the U.S. Congress and the Biden administration, we would also like to spotlight another avenue taken by organizers around the world: boycotts of the Israeli government and other institutions (often companies) that support the continued Israeli military operation in Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian territories in the West Bank. Unfortunately, there is active state legislation in New Hampshire right now that seeks to crack down on these boycotts. Today’s action alert is about how we can take action to oppose this anti-boycott bill.
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is currently handling a bill, SB 439, that would ban businesses which participate in a boycott of Israel from receiving NH state contracts, funds, or investments. While SB 439 does not outright ban New Hampshire businesses from taking part in boycotts, it would serve to intimidate companies out of engaging in this nonviolent form of protest against Israeli apartheid. This would stifle an important method for stopping U.S. complicity in human rights abuses against Palestinians.
If SB 439 sounds familiar, it might be because we wrote an action alert back in January asking for help to oppose this bill in the NH Senate. Unfortunately, SB 439 passed in the Senate in February on a voice vote, and it is now before the NH House (which must pass the bill before it can reach the governor’s desk). NH Governor Chris Sununu has already backed the bill, which would codify an anti-boycott executive order he signed last summer and make it a permanent part of NH state law. As such, it is imperative that we stop SB 439 in the NH House of Representatives.
There will be an opportunity to oppose SB 439 when it is up for a public hearing in the NH House Executive Departments and Administration Committee on Wednesday, April 10, at 2:30pm in Concord. Whether you can testify against the bill in person or can only take action remotely, here are some steps you can take to stop this anti-boycott bill.
For more information on all of these possible actions and to see guidance on preparing testimony, you can visit an action toolkit from Upper Valley for Palestine at: tinyurl.com/stop-sb439NH
Hayden Smith for NH Peace Action
ACTION ALERT for March 26, 2024!
Today we start with an update on national action on Gaza, give a short update on Haiti, then tell you about local actions that need your support.
New Hampshire Peace Action continues to organize for a just peace in Gaza, where the death toll has now surpassed 32,000 and basic necessities remain scarce as half of Gaza’s population is at risk of famine. The flow of critical humanitarian aid has been stymied by the Israeli government, which announced over the weekend that it will not approve the passage of food aid convoys operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the main UN agency supplying aid to Palestinians in Gaza, into northern Gaza. The Israeli government continues to allege that the agency has been infiltrated by Hamas (even though these claims are under increasing scrutiny), and the U.S. government has so far continued to block funding to UNRWA even as countries like Canada, Australia, Sweden, and Finland have restored their funding to the agency over the past month.
We are particularly disturbed that the U.S. Congress passed a government spending package last week that included a provision banning U.S. funding for UNRWA until March 2025. This same spending package also included $3.8 billion in military aid for Israel as part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s $886 billion budget. While we did not want a U.S. government shutdown, we did not see any serious efforts from our representatives to remove these damaging provisions from the spending package, and the entire New Hampshire congressional delegation ultimately voted to pass the spending package. We hear that the spending package also prohibits funding for UN investigations into the Israeli government’s human rights violations.
We encourage you to call your federal lawmakers to voice your disappointment with continuation of the ban on U.S. funding of UNRWA and let them know that the U.S. funding should go to critical aid agencies like UNRWA, not toward giving more weapons to the Israeli military. Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN-7) has also pledged to introduce a new standalone bill that would restore funding to UNRWA, and now is the time to begin building support for this legislation as we await its formal introduction in Congress.
We also need urgent action to ensure that U.S. troops don’t launch an armed intervention into Haiti. The crisis in Haiti is indeed alarming, with violent gang warfare leaving the country without an elected government and contributing to a worsening humanitarian crisis. While we feel compelled to offer whatever support we can to people in Haiti and refugees who are fleeing, we must stand firm in opposing calls among some in the U.S. government for a U.S. military intervention into the country. Haiti has a violent past with foreign interventions that have often left it hobbled with dysfunctional, foreign-installed governments that ultimately collapse. Though we must provide aid, a U.S. military intervention would undermine Haiti’s sovereignty further, and we must remind our federal lawmakers and the Biden administration of this.
Whether you wish to call about Gaza, Haiti, or both, you can call the NH congressional delegation and the White House using the contact information below.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02): Call (202) 225-5206 / (603) 226-1002
President Biden: (202) 456-1111 and https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
On the local front in New Hampshire, we continue to see activity around municipal resolutions calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. These resolutions have proven to be useful tools for pressuring the congressional delegation and mobilizing more local residents around the crisis in Gaza. If you live in or near the following cities, we encourage you to contact your aldermen or city councilors and speak in support of a ceasefire resolution.
In Nashua, activists with Southern NH for Palestine and other groups are continuing to show up to Board of Aldermen meetings to request the introduction of a ceasefire resolution. They are asking supporters to attend the next Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday, March 26, at 7:30pm in Nashua City Hall and use the public comment period to advocate for such a resolution. If you can’t come in person, you can also sign a petition and/or contact your aldermen.
In Dover, local organizers with Southern NH for Palestine, the American Friends Service Committee, and other groups have worked with a city councilor to get a draft ceasefire resolution on the agenda! The city council is due to take up this resolution at its next meeting on Wednesday, March 27, at 7:00pm in Dover City Hall. Organizers are asking local residents to come and speak in support of passing the ceasefire resolution. Please note that public comment is only open to Dover residents or business owners, though others are welcome to attend the meeting to provide quiet support. If you can’t come, we recommend contacting your city councilors to ask for their support.
The myriad of armed violence and humanitarian crises around the world can feel overwhelming, but even if you can take one small action for peace this week, we can make a collective difference. The pace of change is awfully slow, the U.S. government is feeling the pressure and slowly shifting its stance. Just this week, a ceasefire resolution cleared the UN Security Council in a 14-0 vote after the U.S, finally stopped using its veto and instead abstained. We still have far to go, but there is momentum on our side.
Hayden Smith for NH Peace Action
Action & Legislative Alert for March 19, 2024
The crisis in Gaza continues to be our top priority with legislative action. Violence continues, the threat of famine is imminent, and victims have limited access to desperately needed medical care.
Activism to demand a ceasefire is growing and appears to have some, limited, success. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer’s speech on the floor late last week opened a much needed discussion at high levels of decision making, and Biden seems to agree with Schumer’s message. Biden and Netanyahu have recently spoken for the first time in a month and Israel will send a delegation to DC to discuss possible escalation of the violence with an assault on Rafah. Tell President Biden to stand up to Netanyahu and use his power to demand a ceasefire and get aid into Gaza. You can do so using this email tool from our friends at Win Without War.
In addition to Schumer’s speech, key Senate leaders are pushing Biden to demand from Netanyahu both a ceasefire and for Israel to allow aid to enter Gaza. We want our New Hampshire Senators to take on this leadership as well.
As we shared on Friday, we are cautiously optimistic that Sen. Shaheen stated on a recent radio program: “We need a cease fire, we need to get humanitarian aid into the people of Gaza who are suffering, and we need to do it now.” (You listen HERE, the comment is at 10:53.)
We need to contact Sen. Shaheen and thank her for making this statement, but she needs to follow her words with action by signing on to a letter from her Senate colleagues to President Biden stating that Israel is in violation of Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act by limiting humanitarian aid to Gaza. Here is an article in Common Dreams and the letter from the senators to the president is HERE.
Please continue to contact all four of our Federal Legislators with both our demands for a ceasefire a simple question or two for them: What are you doing to prevent the killing of thousands of innocent people by the Israeli military and what are doing to prevent a famine in Gaza?
Another Legislation Action at the Federal level is asking our representatives to support the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act. The Korean War was suspended by an armistice agreement in 1953, but a permanent peace agreement is still needed. Tell your elected representatives to co-sponsor the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act!
At the state level in New Hampshire, we continue to oppose SB 439, a bill seeking to crack down on nonviolent boycotts of Israel by banning New Hampshire state investments and contracts from going to businesses that are participating in a boycott of Israel. The bill passed the Senate and is now in the House Executive Departments and Administration committee, which meets this Wednesday, although this bill is not on the agenda as of right now.
Please contact your NH House Representative, especially if they serve on the committee, and urge them to oppose this bill that seeks to limit people power that comes from collective action.
You can find the committee members HERE. And you can use this tool on the NH General Court website to find the contact information of your NH House representatives.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02): Call (202) 225-5206 / (603) 226-1002
President Biden: (202) 456-1111 and https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Action & Legislative Alert for March 12, 2024
Thank you for your action, at whatever level. Though the process can be excruciatingly slow as lives continue to be lost, we are starting to see gradual shifts in the U.S. government’s support for the Israeli military’s deadly campaign in Gaza. We must seize the moment by pressing our case for a just peace in Gaza and across the region.
Action & Legislative Alert for March 4, 2024
There will be a flurry of action in New Hampshire and across the country this week aimed at compelling the U.S. government to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and adequately fund desperately needed humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Please read on to see ways you can get involved.
This Monday, March 4th, we have a chance to pass municipal resolutions calling for a Gaza ceasefire in two New Hampshire communities: Durham and Portsmouth. The Durham Town Council is set to vote on the town manager’s draft ceasefire resolution during its 7:00 pm meeting at the Durham Town Hall (8 Newmarket Road), while the Portsmouth City Council will vote on its own ceasefire resolution at the City Council Chambers (1 Junkins Avenue). If you reside in either Durham or Portsmouth, we urge you to contact your town or city councilors in support of the local ceasefire resolution proposal and consider attending either of this Monday’s meetings. Non-residents are also welcome to speak in either Durham or Portsmouth, though we recommend that you mention how you are connected to the community (work, worship, family, etc.).
At a time when we are still struggling to get the U.S. federal government to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to end unconditional military aid to Israel in the face of the collective punishment of Palestinians, passing ceasefire resolutions in our towns and cities is one avenue for putting more pressure on our New Hampshire congressional delegation and the Biden administration to act. Some may say that town and city governments should not be weighing in on international affairs, but when our federal taxpayer dollars are being used to fund devastating armed violence that has created a humanitarian catastrophe for Palestinians and officials in the federal government will not cooperate with our pleas to stop this, we believe it is within the purview of local governments to advise our federal representatives on a better course of action. Additionally, these resolutions can help spread awareness about the devastation in Gaza and emphasize that the community stands in solidarity with all local individuals who have faced hate or feared for their safety in New Hampshire as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. The city of Lebanon, NH, has already passed a preliminary ceasefire resolution, and we hope to have more NH communities do the same.
At the federal level, NH Peace Action is part of a national effort urging the U.S. government to restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). U.S. funding to UNRWA has remained suspended since late January after the Israeli government accused the agency of having members of Hamas on its staff who participated in the October 7th attacks; this suspension of funding has left UNRWA in a precarious position to continue its crucial work in Gaza at the exact same time that the humanitarian crisis is worsening. In the wake of the killing of over 100 people who were attempting to collect food from an aid convoy in Gaza City last Thursday (in what Israeli forces said was a stampede and eyewitnesses described as Israeli soldiers opening fire on aid-seekers) and growing scrutiny of the Israeli government’s accusations against the agency, the European Union recently moved to partially restore funding to UNRWA. We must push the U.S. to follow the European Union’s lead so UNRWA can deliver critical food, water, and medical supplies to desperate Palestinians. The Biden administration has tried to placate concerns by instructing the U.S. military to airdrop aid into Gaza, but the impact of this approach falls well short of what can be achieved by ground-distributed aid. We need UNRWA to be properly funded to take on the unfolding humanitarian disaster.
Our national Peace Action organizers have created this email tool to contact your members of Congress about unfreezing U.S. aid to UNRWA. You can also call your lawmakers and the White House using the contact information below.
And please provide your input by completing this survey regarding NHPA’s structure and work. Click HERE for the survey.
Sen. Maggie Hassan: Call (202) 224-3324 / (603) 622-2204
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Call (202) 224-2841 / 603-647-7500
Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01): Call (202) 225-5456 / (603) 285-4300
Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02): Call (202) 225-5206 / (603) 226-1002
President Biden: (202) 456-1111 and https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Thank you for your action at this desperate time for so many Gazans.
Upcoming Events
Film: No Other Land
Film: There is Another Way
Peace & Justice Conversations: Clean Shelter for Gaza
RAW Gaza X-Country Tour
2025 Annual Meeting