Statement from American U.S. Nationals in Azza Refugee Camp

The U.S. citizens now in Beit Jalla refugee camp (Azza) have been informed of the U.S. consulate's offer to evacuate us during the early hours of the seige on this city. We have chosen to stay here but we feel it is important to explain the reasons for turning down this offer. We wish to demonstrate our solidarity with the Palestinian people who do not share the choice we have to go to safety. We are here to act as witnesses to the persecution of the Palestinians and to provide an accurate and reliable source of information for the rest of the world and to represent the support of the international community. It is important to realize that our presence is known and is a concern to our ambassadors. The U.S. consulate's offer is an indication to the danger we are in. We hope the United States' commitment to our safety extends to that of the Palestinian people. Our demands on the U.S. government are clear:

1) to increase pressure on the Israeli government to withdraw from the occupied territories, beginning with the immediate and unconditioinal withdrawal of military force from the west bank.

2) To initiate sanctions against Israel for its repeated violations of the 4th Geneva Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its own national laws.

3) To stop blocking the implementation of the U.N Security council and general assembly resolutions

4) To cease U.S. financial support of the Israeli military

5) and to promote the accurate unbiased reporting that has yet to be seen from the U.S. press.

We are neither eager or prepared to die, however, we will not turn our backs on the complicity of the U.S. and Israeli governments in their attempts to destroy the Palestinaian people.

In Truth,
Jacob A. Mundy, Jordan Flaherty, Kristin Schurr, Maia Ramnath, Zaid Khalil, Josina Manu