Academic, progressive, and religious organizations, artists, and others gathered on April 23 to launch the Stop the US-Israel War in Iran Campaign Network. The gathering was held at the Tandang Sora Hall in the University of the Philippines-Diliman, Quezon City.

The network is a broad alliance of groups and individuals opposing the US war of aggression in Iran, Palestine, and Lebanon. Network organizers earlier released a unified statement titled “Stop the US-Israel war on Iran!”

The statement has gathered 500 signatures as of April 23. The signatories and members of the network include four Catholic bishops: Bp. Gerardo A. Alminaza of San Carlos, Bp. Elmer Mangalinao of Bayombong, Broderick S. Pabillo of Taytay, and Euginius Longakit Cañete of Gumaca, and three National Artists: Ryan Cayabyab, Ricky Lee, and Prof. Gemino H. Abad.

“We, Filipinos who uphold peace, justice, and national sovereignty, express our strongest opposition to the ongoing wars of aggression of the US and Israel in Iran and Lebanon, on top of its genocidal war in Palestine,” the network’s statement opens. These wars have already inflicted severe suffering among civilians, destroyed communities, destabilized entire regions, and are pushing the world into a deep economic crisis.

It said that Philippine history itself shows that peace is not achieved through bombs, sanctions, and military alliances aimed at “imposing power and plundering the resources and markets of weaker and smaller countries.”

They called on all Filipinos to oppose the wars of aggression of the US and Israel and to hold Netanyahu and Trump accountable for their war crimes.

They also called for the expulsion of all US troops, weapons, and facilities from the Philippines and for the implementation of an independent foreign policy and a peaceful international order. They condemned the Balikatan exercises as an “instrument for showcasing US weapons.”

The network plans to hold discussions and mass actions to build the broadest anti-imperialist movement.