Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow also voted in favor of the resolution which was promoted by the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) ‘America’s Pro-Israel Lobby.’

With the exception of Democratic Representatives John Dingell of Dearborn and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick of Detroit who both voted “present,” Michigan’s entire congressional delegation approved a similar resolution.

At least 977 Palestinians, including many civilians and children and 13 Israelis have reportedly been killed over the last 19 days as Israel has bombarded the Gaza strip from the land, sea, and air in an effort to stop rocket fire by Palestinian militants.

On Monday the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling for a cease fire in Gaza. The U.S. abstained from the vote.

The Traverse City area group MidEast:JustPeace is a member of the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and is calling for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded access for humanitarian goods to enter Gaza. The group held a demonstration in Levin’s Traverse City office last week.

Marian Kromkowski, a spokesperson for MidEast:JustPeace, said in a statement:

“Israel ‘s war on Gaza would not be possible without the direct and indirect aid provided by the United States. The U.S. through its 10 year/30 billion dollar military aid package directly provides F-16′s, Apache helicopters, missiles, fuel and other military armaments made by U.S. corporations to the Israel army. Indirectly the U.S. provides protection for Israel in the United Nations with its threat of a veto of measures that would effectively rein in Israel ‘s collective punishment, in an absolutely disproportionate manner and in violation of international law, of a mostly civilian population in Gaza . We as Americans have a responsibility to speak out against such disastrous policies that have led to brutal attacks against the elected government of the Palestinian territories.”

Lansing area peace activists gather at Grand River Avenue and Abbott to protest the ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza. (photo by Todd A. Heywood)

EAST LANSING — With temperatures hovering at 24 degrees, a group of Lansing-area peace activists gathered in the median on Grand River Avenue in downtown East Lansing Thursday night to protest the continued Israeli assault on Gaza. Holding signs reading “cease fire,” and “peace for Israel and Gaza,” the activists gathered to send their public outrage at the conflict that has been going on for 13 days, killing hundreds and wounding thousands.

Mary Hanna, operations manager at the Michigan Peace Team and an organizer of the event, said she was appalled to learn that the U.S. Congress was preparing to pass a resolution supporting the Israeli actions, even as the United Nations was announced it was pulling all humanitarian aide workers from Gaza following an incident in which two U.N. aide workers were killed by an Israeli tank shell.

“Israel appears to be readying for a massive ground invasion of the terrorist infested Gaza Strip. Israel’s success depends on its ability to close its ears to the worldwide outcry over dead Palestinian children.

Because there will be dead children. Already, children and other civilians are dying under the week-long barrage of Israeli bombs. But Hamas terrorists are also dying, and that’s what matters.”

What in the world is this?! Killing children is never justified no matter what the circumstances are or who dies along with them. There are ALWAYS diplomatic approaches to conflict which can be employed, and few diplomatic tools if any appear to be engaged in this conflict. While Hamas maybe labeled a terrorist group by various political entities, it seems as if Israel has taken up terrorist techniques as well. The killing of children is seen by many as the ultimate form of terror.

One might wonder if Mr. Finley would be willing to offer his kids in a bloody sacrifice for peace in the middle east?

NO WE ARE NOT SAFE. ROCKET IS GOING OVER MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW

At that point, Hanna reports, the connection went dead. Habeeb has not been heard from since. He has been updating his Facebook page and sending daily war updates from inside Gaza, and neither has been updated yet today.

Michigan Messenger interviewed Habeeb early on in the new war.

Hanna does report that a missing translator the group had expressed fear about still has not checked in, but through the grapevine they have heard the translator is alive and safe.

Dr. Karril said the hospital was dangerously close to losing power due to a fuel shortage in Gaza, attributed to Israel’s closure of the borders and a blockade of all trade into Gaza months ago.

The doctor told Michigan Messenger that fuel was being transported into Gaza through tunnels between Gaza and Egypt, but the tunnels were attacked Saturday as the Israeli air force unleashed this latest round of attacks.

Israel has said those tunnels served to transport weapons in Gaza.

Audio of the interview follows, posted to YouTube:

This segment reflects the excitement and reporting on the tank fire coming into Gaza. Habeeb indicates tanks are “rolling” in the interview, but later clarified that no tanks have entered Gaza.

You can read Habeeb’s work here.

Hanna said the group emailed the translator three days ago and has not heard anything from them. Others in Gaza connected to the Peace Team have made contact and said they are alive and uninjured. Hanna would not identify the translator for fear it would subject the translator to Israeli scrutiny.