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JOHN,
Last week, the Israeli military escalated its brutal attacks on West Bank’s Jenin refugee camp, bombing and killing civilians (including children), blocking medical assistance for wounded Palestinians, shooting journalists, firing on hospitals where families sought refuge, and destroying essential roads, water and sewage lines, and 80% of the homes in the area.
UN officials expressed shock at the destruction and trauma in Jenin, reporting that children in the refugee camp are now afraid to leave their homes.[1]
Without international condemnation, Israel will continue escalating violence and traumatizing generations of Palestinians. Prime Minister Netanyahu said this would “not be a one-time action.”
Although these war crimes were aided by U.S. weapons and taxpayer dollars, President Biden has not criticized the invasion. Instead the White House released a statement supporting Israel’s “right to defend” itself.[2]
To be clear, there are not two equal sides here. Occupying military powers do not have legal rights to “defend” themselves against the people they control.
The UN Secretary-General reiterated this when responding to last week’s assault on Jenin, noting that “Israel, as the occupying power… has the responsibility to ensure that the [Palestinian] civilian population is protected against all acts of violence.”[3]
The people in Jenin’s refugee camp were made refugees after 1948’s Nakba, where 800,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homelands. Israel’s far-right leaders have called for another Nakba, but the Nakba never ended, with Israel’s government continuing to terrorize and oppress the Palestinian people—who are not allowed to escape or even become citizens.
Our country funds this violent apartheid regime. When our political leaders stay silent, we dehumanize Palestinians and enable more horror.
Add your name if you agree: We need more members of Congress and members of the Biden administration to speak out and condemn Israel’s increasing attacks on Palestinians.
Thank you for continuing to act for Palestinian liberation.
In solidarity,
Rashida
[1] The destruction was shocking, says high-level UNRWA officials after visiting Jenin refugee camp
[2] Israel Killed Civilians, Targeted Hospitals in Jenin With US Weapons and Support
[3] Israel-Palestine: UN chief strongly condemns mounting violence, acts of terror
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rashida Tlaib
Date: Sat, July 8, 2023
Subject: Sign to condemn Israel’s attacks on West Bank cities
To: [email protected]
John,
This week, the Israeli military escalated its recent deadly raids on West Bank cities, bombing the city of Jenin and killing children in a refugee camp.
The people who were forced to flee from the Jenin refugee camp this week have been made refugees multiple times. They descend from families who came to Jenin during the 1948 Nakba, when violent militias forcibly removed close to 800,000 Indigenous Palestinians from their homelands.
Clearly, the Israeli government is still trying to displace and erase Palestinians. For multiple days this week, Israeli soldiers in Jenin blocked medical assistance for wounded Palestinians by bulldozing roads, and fired on hospitals where families sought refuge.
They destroyed 80% of Palestinian homes, cut off water and electricity, and shot at journalists. Remember: When the military murdered beloved Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh last year, she was covering a military raid on Jenin. Attacks on Jenin have continued up through last week, and then again this week.
The U.S. government can and must hold Israel accountable for these ongoing war crimes.
The Biden administration and Congress can refuse to send billions of our tax dollars to the Israeli military each year. At minimum, they can speak out and condemn these human rights violations.
Add your name to tell Congress and the Biden administration: Condemn this week’s war crimes, and speak out against Israel’s attacks on West Bank cities.
Official military attacks have escalated dramatically this year, as have attacks by Israeli settlers.
Top Israeli government officials have called for “another Nakba” and have openly supported increasingly horrific and frequent settler-led pogroms, where Israelis kill Palestinians and destroy their homes.
To be clear: This is not a “conflict” between two equal sides, or between two countries. Israel’s powerful government and military keep terrorizing and oppressing the Palestinian people, who are not allowed to escape or even become citizens.
This is an apartheid regime enacting ethnic cleansing and war crimes with American backing, bulldozers, and bullets.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials keep trying to silence criticism of Israel.
They tried to block a UN event this year commemorating the Nakba, and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tried to stop an event about the Nakba on Capitol Hill. These attempts have failed, and will continue to fail as long as we keep speaking out.
But too many U.S. officials stay silent, and this inaction enables the Israeli government to continue colonizing Palestinians with impunity.
Without condemnation, Israel will continue to escalate violence, killing more Palestinians than last year—which was the deadliest year so far. We cannot allow this unbearable status quo to continue.
Add your name if you agree: We need more members of Congress and members of the Biden administration to speak out and condemn Israel’s increasing attacks on Palestinians.
Thank you for taking action. We will keep fighting until Palestinians can live freely, with human dignity and equal rights.
In solidarity,
Rashida
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