On December 23, the UN Security Council adopted a historic resolution against settlement colonies in the Palestinian West Bank. The vote was 14-0, with the US abstaining. US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said following the vote: "Today the Security Council reaffirmed its established consensus that the settlements have no legal validity." [1] Bibi Netanyahu retaliated for the vote by recalling ambassadors from New Zealand and Senegal, and by ending all aid programs for Senegal. [2] Urge President Obama and Congress to stand with New Zealand and Senegal by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/LIVE-1.760936 2. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-24/israel-ends-aid-programs-after-un-security-council-vote/8146840

Christine Lagarde, the top official of the International Monetary Fund, has been found guilty of criminal charges in France linked to the misuse of public funds during her time as France’s finance minister. The New York Times says the verdict could force Lagarde out of her post. [1] The U.S. is the largest shareholder in the IMF, which periodically receives funding from U.S. taxpayers that is approved by Congress. The IMF routinely micromanages developing country governments under the pretext of "fighting corruption." If Lagarde were allowed to continue as IMF chief following her French conviction on corruption charges, it would make a mockery of the idea that the IMF stands for any set of rules other than "he who has the gold makes the rules." Urge your representatives in Congress to demand that Lagarde resign or be forced out as IMF chief following her conviction in a French corruption case by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/business/imf-trial-christine-lagarde-france-verdict.html

Congressional Progressive Caucus leaders Keith Ellison, Raul Grijalva, Mark Pocan and Barbara Lee have written to President-elect Trump, urging him to choose people to lead foreign policy in his Administration consistent with his campaign criticism of the Iraq war, not people who were prominent advocates for the Iraq war. [1] Their letter reminded Trump that he called the Iraq War a “tremendous disservice not only to the Middle East” but “to humanity,” which "totally destabilized” the Middle East and cost taxpayers $4-5 trillion, which could have been “spent right here in the United States on schools, hospitals, roads, airports, and everything else that are all falling apart”; and that he said “our current strategy of nation-building and regime change is a proven failure.” They expressed dismay over reports that Trump's transition team was considering Iraq War advocates like Rudy Giuliani and John Bolton for key positions to guide the foreign policy of his administration. Urge your representatives in Congress to join CPC leaders Ellison, Grijalva, Pocan and Lee in pressing President-elect Trump not to choose Iraq War advocates to serve in his administration by signing our petition. References: 1. https://cpc-grijalva.house.gov/press-releases/congressional-progressive-caucus-criticizes-trumps-potential-picks-for-secretary-of-state/

Many communities in Champaign-Urbana were unexpectedly traumatized by the election of Donald Trump. Now, we need enlightened and responsible leadership in all corners to help our traumatized communities reconcile. Hillel said: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?" "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn." The children of Abraham - fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer - need to be reconciled. Urge Alan Cook to use his leadership position at Sinai Temple to help chase away darkness and reconcile the children of Abraham in Champaign-Urbana by signing our petition.

If Obama will recognize Palestine and allow it to join the UN as a full member, peace between Israel and Palestine will be greatly advanced. Former President Jimmy Carter in an article in the NY Times fully delineates the reasons: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/28/opinion/jimmy-carter-america-must-recognize-palestine.html

President-elect Trump and his advisers have expressed opposition to U.S. wars that don't contribute to the fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda. Therefore, they should oppose continued U.S. participation in the Saudi bombing of Yemen, because that doesn't contribute to the fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda. Whatever one may think of the Houthi rebels in Yemen that the U.S. has been helping Saudi Arabia bomb, they are not ISIS or Al-Qaeda; they hate ISIS and Al-Qaeda. In fact, the U.S.-backed Saudi war in Yemen has contributed to the growth of ISIS and Al-Qaeda in Yemen. Urge incoming National Security Adviser General Michael Flynn to oppose continued U.S. participation in the Saudi bombing of Yemen by signing our petition.

With the rise and election of Trump, anti-Semitism is appearing in mainstream U.S. discourse in an unprecedented way. At the same time, false and grossly exaggerated accusations of anti-Semitism remain a potent political weapon in U.S. politics. Now, more than ever, we need organizations that can serve the public as principled, credible, unbiased investigators and referees of allegations of anti-Semitism in the U.S. The Anti-Defamation League would be ideally positioned to occupy this role, but unfortunately it currently suffers from a perceived conflict of interest. In addition to advocating against anti-Semitism, the ADL also advocates for the unfettered expansion and legitimation of settlements in the West Bank. The ADL's entanglement in the settlements issue diminishes the ADL's credibility on anti-Semitism in the eyes of many Americans. If the ADL accuses an American who opposes the settlements of anti-Semitism, many Americans will wonder, rightly or wrongly, if the ADL's advocacy for settlements is coloring the ADL's judgment. Thus, the ADL's settlements advocacy undermines its ability to combat anti-Semitism. Urge the ADL to divest itself from advocacy for settlements to maintain its credibility on allegations of anti-Semitism by signing our petition.

According to a recent University of Maryland poll, two-thirds of Americans, including 65% of Democrats, would like to see more cooperation between the U.S. and Russia over the conflict in Syria. 60% of Americans, including the majority of Democrats, would like to see the U.S. and Russia join forces to defeat ISIS. 63% of Americans, including 77% of Democrats, oppose the deployment of a large American ground force in Syria and Iraq to fight ISIS. [1] Urge President Obama & Congress to support more U.S. cooperation with Russia over the conflict in Syria and to oppose the deployment of a large American ground force in Syria & Iraq by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/11/01/americans-dislike-the-islamic-state-more-than-putin-or-assad-how-that-matters-for-the-election/

"Joe Biden is at the top of the internal short list Hillary Clinton’s transition team is preparing for her pick to be secretary of state," Politico reports. "He'd be great, and they are spending a lot of time figuring out the best way to try to persuade him to do it if she wins,” said a source familiar with Hillary Clinton's transition planning. The Vice President, who chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before joining the administration, is "one of the most experienced and respected Democrats on the world stage," Politico notes. [1] Politico notes that in the Obama Administration, Biden has often played the role of chief skeptic on demands for U.S. military escalation, citing debates in the Administration over the use of force in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya. Of the candidates apparently being considered, Biden has unique personal stature to push back on demands for U.S. military escalation, including those coming from State Department officials. Urge President Obama and Members of Congress to encourage Vice President Biden to consider serving as Secretary of State in the next Administration by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/clinton-biden-secretary-of-state-230428

On Tuesday, former acting CIA director and Hillary Clinton adviser Michael Morell advocated going to war with Iran for the sake of securing Saudi Arabia’s domination of Yemen. [1] The last thing the Saudi war in Yemen needs is U.S. military escalation. The Saudi war in Yemen needs a lasting ceasefire and a political and diplomatic resolution. That is much more likely if the U.S. threatens to withdraw from the war than if the U.S. threatens to escalate the war. MoveOn and CREDO blasted Morell's remarks. MoveOn said: "Michael Morell’s comments at CAP yesterday are alarming. That sort of bellicose rhetoric leads to unnecessary wars." [2] CREDO said: "Morell’s suggestion that the U.S. Navy should start a war with Iran is wildly irresponsible and detrimental to our national security. Publicly advocating such a reckless position should disqualify Morell from playing a role in any future administration.” [3] Urge your Representative and Senators to repudiate Morell's remarks and oppose his nomination to any position in the next Administration by signing our petition. References: 1. http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/10/clinton-adviser-lets-attack-iran-to-aid-saudis-in-yemen.html 2. https://twitter.com/MoveOn/status/791423412501569540 3. https://twitter.com/CREDOMobile/status/791681734685315072

The Pentagon has not responded to a memorandum Amnesty International sent to the U.S. Department of Defense on September 28 to raise questions about the conduct of U.S. forces in Syria. The memorandum provided evidence suggesting that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which directs U.S. forces in Syria, may have failed to take necessary precautions to spare civilians and carried out unlawful attacks that have killed and injured civilians. [1] Failure by the Pentagon to adequately and transparently investigate reports of civilian casualties and of violations of international humanitarian law by U.S. forces in Syria would fall short of international standards and commitments made by President Obama. It would also establish a bad precedent for anticipated U.S. military operations against ISIS in Mosul in Iraq. Urge President Obama and Congress to insist on transparency and accountability concerning civilian casualties from U.S. military actions in Syria by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/10/usa-must-come-clean-about-civilian-deaths-caused-by-coalition-air-strikes-in-syria/

Earlier this month the Obama administration said continuing military assistance hinged on Saudi Arabia accepting a ceasefire in Yemen. The ceasefire has come and gone and after just a few short days, the Saudis have returned to bombing civilians. This is unacceptable. It is time for us to make good on our threat to suspend lethal aid.