Jon Ossoff leads group of 29 senators urging ceasefire
By David Ian Klein May 17, 2021
Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff is heading up a group of 29 senators — a majority of the Democratic caucus — who are calling for an immediate ceasefire as the conflict between Israel and Hamas rages into a second week.
Joint Statement Urging Ceasefire in Middle East pic.twitter.com/nkTNFqH7re
— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) May 16, 2021
“To prevent any further loss of civilian life and to prevent further escalation of conflict in Israel and the Palestinian territories, we urge an immediate ceasefire,” reads the senators’ joint statement, released Sunday. Those who signed on include Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Raphael Warnock of Georgia.
On Monday Secretary of State Tony Blinken said the U.S. was working hard to quell hostilities, but would not push for an immediate ceasefire, saying it was up to the parties to decide when the time was right.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who, like Ossoff, is Jewish, is not calling for a ceasefire, saying that Israel has a right to continue to defend itself.
The other senators who signed on to the statement are Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Tom Carper of Delaware, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Angus King of Maine, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Patty Murray of Washington, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Tina Smith of Minnesota, Jon Tester of Montana, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Mark Warner of Virginia, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
All senators joining Ossoff are Democrats except for King and Sanders, who are Independents.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30
