Statement from the United Nations Association of Greater Milwaukee (UNA-GM) Board of Directors on the Crisis in the Middle East

October 25th, 2023

The members of the United Nations Association of Greater Milwaukee Board of Directors are devastated by the war occurring between Israel and Hamas. 

The  United Nations Association of Greater Milwaukee is committed to upholding the values and principles of the United Nations and the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) including peace and the preservation of human rights for all.

The United Nations Association of Greater Milwaukee Board of Directors is in agreement with and supports the statement from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on October 19th, 2023 including his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to provide sufficient time and space to help realize his two appeals and to ease the epic human suffering we are witnessing.

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Statement from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

October 18th, 2023

“…I feel, as Secretary-General of the United Nations, the obligation to say a few words about the catastrophe unfolding in the Middle East.

The region is on the precipice.

I have made two urgent humanitarian appeals.

To Hamas, for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.

To Israel, to immediately allow unrestricted access of humanitarian aid to respond to the most basic needs of the people of Gaza - the overwhelming majority of whom are women and children.

I am fully aware of the deep grievances of the Palestinian people after 56 years of occupation.  But, as serious as these grievances are, they cannot justify the acts of terror against civilians committed by Hamas on October 7 that I immediately condemned.

But those attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

Each of my two humanitarian appeals have a value in themselves.

They are not bargaining chips. They are simply the right thing to do.

And I am horrified by the hundreds of people killed at Al Ahli hospital this same day, in Gaza, by a strike that I strongly condemned earlier today.

I call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to provide sufficient time and space to help realize my two appeals and to ease the epic human suffering we are witnessing.

Too many lives - and the fate of the entire region - hang in the balance.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

Additional information and resources

Additional information and resources on the “Crisis in the Middle East” that is curated and updated daily by the Better World Campaign, a partner organization with the United Nations Association of the USA, can be found by clicking on the following link:

https://betterworldcampaign.org/other-issues/mideast-crisis

The Better World Campaign is the premier advocacy organization devoted to fostering a strong partnership between the United States and the United Nations – a vision that promotes core American interests and builds a more secure, prosperous, and healthy world. We encourage U.S. leadership to work hand-in-hand with the UN to tackle the world’s biggest issues by engaging policymakers and the American public to build support for the UN’s life-saving work.

For more information, contact:

Steve Watrous – President of the UNA of Greater Milwaukee

On behalf of the UNA of Greater Milwaukee Board of Directors

unamilwaukeewi@gmail.com (email)