[ ]J Street[ ]
Friends,

The Netanyahu government’s ongoing restriction of food and medical
supplies to families in Gaza continues to be a searing violation of our
Jewish and liberal democratic values.

This week, I’ve been on the ground in Israel. Our staff here continue to
work with the Hostage Family’s Forum every day, and join deeply moving
hostage freedom rallies and protests. At the same time, we know the
Netanyahu approach to humanitarian aid brings the hostages no closer to
freedom and this conflict no closer to ending.

While pressure from President Biden following the World Central Kitchen
tragedy resulted in new commitments on humanitarian aid, the Netanyahu
government could have made most of these policy changes months ago and
must now do more to actually follow through.

Humanitarian groups like José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen can’t operate
safely. Doctors are battling shortages of antibiotics and life-saving
medicine. Surgeons operate without anesthesia. Over 1 million people
remain on a path toward famine within weeks. We cannot accept this.

This week, Congressman Jason Crow – a leading national security voice – is
gathering signatures for a letter calling on President Biden to take “all
conceivable steps” to uphold US law, press Netanyahu further on aid, and
get food and medical supplies to desperate families in Gaza.

J Street is proud to be backing this letter and rallying support on
Capitol Hill – and we need your help. [ [link removed]- ]If you have a moment now, please
sign our petition to Congress to help build momentum and join this
campaign >>

A battlefield veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, Congressman Crow knows
better than most that a humanitarian catastrophe is also a security
nightmare – making the fight against insurgents and terror groups like
Hamas that much harder.

He knows that upholding our laws and values is not just a moral question,
but serves our own interests too. That we cannot watch as famine spreads,
children suffer, and the homeland for the Jewish people fails to live up
to both our shared values and its founding ideals.

Israeli security leaders know that too: Commanders for Israel’s Security –
a group representing hundreds of former security officials, including
former heads of the IDF and Mossad – has said, “beyond the moral aspects,”
the ‪Netanyahu government’s aid restrictions have dealt “cumulative damage
to Israel’s security and strategic interests” and made the IDF’s goals
harder to achieve.

We know US pressure can have an impact. We know obstructing aid is a
violation of US law and of President Biden’s own national security
regulations. We know – as the White House itself has said – that Netanyahu
continues to fall short of his obligations.

[ [link removed]- ]Friends: If you want the Biden Administration to speak clearly
and push harder, please add your name to our petition now >>

As the letter to President Biden says, “despite repeated requests by your
Administration over the past several months, the Netanyahu government has
resisted efforts to open sufficient land and sea routes for aid into Gaza;
failed to facilitate the entry of enough humanitarian aid to prevent the
civilian population from facing famine; denied humanitarian access
requests; and enforced arbitrary restrictions on humanitarian goods.”

“The Netanyahu government must implement an exhaustive, sustained effort
to counteract the harm caused by its own restrictive policies,” it says.
“So long as Israel restricts, directly or indirectly, the facilitation of
humanitarian aid delivery into Gaza, the Israeli government is risking its
eligibility for further offensive security assistance.”

Friends: If you agree, please add your name to help rally
support. [ [link removed]- ]Read, sign and share the petition here >>

On a personal note, I want to thank you for standing with us. I’m writing
from Israel, where I’m visiting family, joining hostage memorials and mass
protests, and speaking with our Israeli staff and allies.

José Andrés wrote that he knows Israelis. That when it comes to
humanitarian aid, it’s time for the best of Israel to show up. I can
assure you that the best is still here, fighting harder than ever, but
that we need to have their backs.

I’ve been truly inspired by Israeli coexistence and human rights advocates
who continue to courageously stand up for our shared values, and truly
appalled by members of the Netanyahu government egging on protesters who
continue to actively block humanitarian aid trucks headed for Gaza.

As an Israeli-American myself, it’s especially painful to see this being
done in my name. I hope you can join us as we build support for this
urgent letter.

[ [link removed]- ]Read, sign and share the petition here >>

Thank you sincerely, for your support.

Adina Vogel Ayalon
Vice President and Chief of Staff, J Street


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J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy
Americans who want Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the
Jewish people. Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we
advocate policies that advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish
and democratic values, leading to a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



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