In letter sent to President Joe Biden, interns call for ceasefire in Gaza, end to Israeli apartheid and a free Palestine
Dec. 7: In another sign of growing dissent brewing in Washington over the Biden administration’s steady support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, a group of more than 40 interns at the White House and the Executive Office of the President have signed a letter demanding President Joe Biden call for a permanent ceasefire, reports Middle East Eye.
The signatories of the letter say they can “no longer remain silent on the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people”. The interns did not sign their names to the letter, opting to remain anonymous.
“We urge the Biden-Harris Administration to call for a permanent ceasefire now, a release of all hostages including Palestinian political prisoners, and to support a diplomatic solution that will put an end to the illegal occupation and the Israeli apartheid, in accordance with international law and for a free Palestine,” the letter said.
Instead of signing their names, the interns provided the different offices that they work for. In similar efforts, other US officials have also remained anonymous.
The interns said that they come from a variety of different backgrounds including “Palestinian, Jewish, Arab, Muslim, Christian, Black, Asian, Latine, White, and Queer”.
The Middle East Eye report cites a statement issued by ‘the White House Interns for Palestine’, saying they support the administration’s work “to advocate for minority communities and closing the systemic gaps in our country”.
“However, we also believe it is our duty to stand up against injustice and genocide, and to point out the wrongs committed by our leaders,” the group said.
“We urge the Administration to change course. In our limited capacity, we are having these conversations and bringing the will of the American people to the halls of the highest office. We will not stop trying.”
The interns condemned the Hamas-led attacks, but went on to say that “the ongoing violence perpetuated by the Israeli government, as well as the ongoing dehumanizing rhetoric targeting Muslims and Arabs, has promoted a wave of massive violence and tragedies”.
The letter cites the shooting of three Palestinian university students in Vermont, which has left one student paralysed from the chest down, and the murder of a six-year-old Palestinian boy near Chicago.
While interns at the White House may not have much sway on policy matters, the dozens who joined the letter initiative are part of a growing dissent movement in both the Biden administration and Congress calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The interns who signed the letter said that they applied for internships at the White House because of the belief that “America has the potential to be a nation that stands for justice and peace”. They are now joining the demand for a ceasefire because they “heed the voices of the American people”.
“We are not the decision makers of today, but we aspire to be the leaders of tomorrow, and we will never forget how the pleas of the American people have been heard and thus far, ignored,” the letter said.
The group of anonymous interns said the letter was sent to Biden via post and email. The letter was first reported by NBC News. The Hill also reported on the letter and said it spoke to a source familiar with the effort.
