Hi,
NPR just reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuffed
President Biden when Netanyahu rejected discussions of statehood for
Palestinians in Gaza after the war.^1 This is a fundamental disagreement
between Biden and Netanyahu about peace in Israel-Palestine and a path
towards ending the war. Shouldn’t a disagreement so central to the
conflict prompt serious pause in the White House and Congress?
Instead, Biden has sold more than $250 million of tank shells, artillery
munitions, and other military equipment to Israel over the last few
weeks.^2 Congress must now take a stand and stop billions more in U.S.
taxpayer-funded aid going to Israel to help fuel a war that has killed
over 25,000 Palestinians.
[ [link removed] ]Sign the petition: It’s time to condition aid to Israel so American tax
dollars aren’t used to kill civilians and violate the human rights of
Palestinians.
ADD YOUR NAME
The United States gives billions of dollars in military aid to Israel each
year on top of weapons transfers like the ones Biden authorized a few
weeks ago. But Congress can act to stop our tax dollars from funding
further violence against the Palestinian people.
Congress is considering sending $10 billion to Israel as part of a
supplemental spending bill. Such an act right now, with the death toll
rising in Gaza, would show Congress joining President Biden in at least
tacitly supporting Israel’s military actions.
Hamas's attacks must be condemned, but Israel's response has been
disproportionate and taken an extraordinary civilian toll. And the 155mm
artillery shells President Biden sent to Israel are uniquely dangerous to
civilians — unguided, explosive shells loaded with TNT that burst into
around 2,000 metal fragments upon impact.^3
The United States should not be contributing weapons to Israel’s bombing
campaign, and President Biden certainly shouldn’t be making this decision
without congressional input. The last president to sell weapons without
Congressional approval: Donald Trump selling weapons to Saudi Arabia.^4
It’s time for a permanent ceasefire in this war. And while a ceasefire is
being negotiated, President Biden must take steps to limit civilian
casualties in Gaza NOT add to them by providing more unconditional aid to
Israel.
[ [link removed] ]Add your name: Condition aid to Israel so American dollars aren’t used
to perpetuate violence against Palestinians.
Thanks for taking action,
Mark and the team at Demand Progress
[ [link removed] ]DONATE
Sources:
1. NPR, "Israel's Netanyahu rejects any Palestinian sovereignty post-war,
rebuffing Biden,” [ [link removed] ]January 21, 2024.
2. New York Times, “Biden Administration Again Bypasses Congress for
Weapons Sale to Israel," [ [link removed] ]December 30, 2023.
3. OxFam, “Artillery Shells Transfer,” [ [link removed] ]October 2023.
4. Reuters, “Defying Congress, Trump sets $8 billion-plus in weapons
sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE," [ [link removed] ]May 24, 2019.
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