In an effort to press Obama to pressure Israel, fifty four members of the U.S Congress, led by Representative Jim McDermott from Washington and Keith Ellison from Minesota (both Democrats), signed a letter asking the President to pressure Israel to ease the siege of the Gaza Strip.
The representatives wrote that even though they understand the threats that Hamas pose to Israel they believed that Israel's concerns on this matter must be acted upon without a de facto collective punishment of the people in the Gaza Strip.
In addition to the 54 members of Congress a number of Jewish organizations also signed on the letter including Americans for Peace Now and J Street.
In response to this letter the Israeli Embassy in Washington responded with the following message: "The Israeli position is that the Hamas government in Gaza does not meet the conditions set forth by the international community and the Quartet. And as long as Hamas continues to attack Israel with missiles and other means, Israel will not open the border crossings. With this, Israel is doing everything possible to ensure that humanitarian aid enters Gaza in a controlled manner so that it is ensured that the population receives what it needs, including medical care in Israel. But Israel will not allow a a neighbor that calls for its destruction to enjoy the benefits of an open border."
