[ ]J Street[ ]
DECISIONS LOOM IN CRITICAL DAYS FOR ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

J Street Joins Half of Congressional Democrats in Urging Strict Enforcement by
the Biden Administration of Arms Transfer Rules as Rafah Invasion Looms

May 6, 2024

With efforts to achieve an immediate, bilateral ceasefire between Israel
and Hamas at a critical stage, hope for an agreement to free hostages,
halt the fighting and allow for a surge of aid to Gaza’s civilian
population hangs in the balance.

Against this backdrop, preparations for an Israeli invasion of Rafah –
which President Biden described as a “red line” in March – appear to be
moving ahead, with evacuation orders in place for civilians in the area.
Just last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken [ [link removed] ]said the United
States “cannot” support a major military operation in Rafah without “an
effective plan” to protect civilians, and that the administration has “not
seen such a plan.”

Meanwhile, conditions continue to deteriorate throughout Gaza for its 2.2
million people. Just this weekend, Executive Director of the World Food
Program Cindy McCain warned that parts of Gaza are now in “full-blown
famine.”

This week as well, the White House faces a major deadline to report to
Congress under President Biden’s National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20)
on partner countries' use of US arms. It will assess the Israeli
government’s compliance with the standards set forth in President Biden’s
policy, including whether the Netanyahu government has adhered to
international humanitarian law and US law that prohibits recipients of US
military assistance from restricting the delivery of humanitarian aid.

While still deeply hopeful that the Biden Administration can be successful
in its efforts to broker an agreement, J Street is cognizant that the
administration must also set its policy now in the event the fighting
continues.

J Street – a pro-Israel organization that has supported every single
appropriation of security aid to Israel, including the emergency
supplemental legislation signed into law two weeks ago – continues to
fervently believe that any further military assistance to Israel must be
provided in full accordance with US and international law, and with
President’s Biden’s own National Security Memorandum 20.

The President should be aware that at least half of the Democratic members
of the House and Senate agree that our laws should and must be fully
enforced and that the time has come to back up administration warnings
over Israeli conduct with meaningful action.

Last Wednesday, [ [link removed] ]57 Democrats urged the Biden Administration to
“withhold certain offensive military aid” in order to deter an invasion of
Rafah.

On Friday, [ [link removed] ]88 Democrats urged the administration to consider its power
to “suspend certain transfers” of offensive weapons in an effort to press
the Netanyahu government to allow more urgently needed humanitarian aid
into Gaza.

These are just the latest in a series of letters and statements that
Members of Congress have made on the question of enforcing existing
restrictions on the use of American assistance by the Netanyahu
government. It is vital to note that J Street and the Members of Congress
with whom we stand all advocate exempting Iron Dome and other purely
defensive military aid from the application of restrictions, conditions or
other limitations.

This weekend, [ [link removed] ]reports surfaced that the Administration may be heeding
this advice, putting a hold on at least one shipment of US-made
ammunition.

“In the face of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, and on
the precipice of a Rafah invasion with unfathomable risks to both
Palestinian civilians and Israeli interests alike, it is entirely
appropriate that President Biden take meaningful action now to influence
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decisions,” J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami
said. “The US cannot turn a blind eye as our military assistance provides
a blank check for decisions which violate US and international law, risk
the lives of hostages and civilians, and run counter to both US and
Israeli interests.”

The warnings from pro-Israel US lawmakers echo the concerns of hundreds of
former senior officials in Israel’s security agencies and foreign service
who [ [link removed] ]have warned that the Netanyahu government’s restrictions on
humanitarian aid are endangering Israel’s global standing and undermining
its military goals.

“The President should heed the voices of congressional leaders – and those
of voters across the country – who believe that our laws, interests and
values must be upheld even when supporting the security of our closest
allies,” Ben-Ami said. “An NSM-20 report that papers over non-compliance
or fails to take meaningful enforcement steps in response to violations
will undermine civilian safety and US credibility in this and future
conflicts.”

J Street calls upon the Biden Administration to ensure the report is
thorough and impartial in its assessments, and that it does not hesitate
to decisively remedy deficiencies by any party with concrete enforcement
action – including withholding certain offensive weapons transfers as
appropriate.


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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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