AJP Action Condemns Israel’s Indiscriminate Explosions Across Lebanon—Urges The Biden Administration To Take Itself Seriously [WASHINGTON D.C., September 17, 2024] - Israel has once again escalated violence in the Middle East by igniting devastating explosions of hundreds of pagers across Lebanon. Israel’s indiscriminate and irresponsible attack has claimed the lives of at least nine people—including an 8-year-old girl—and left thousands injured in a tragic and deliberate act of violence. The attack occurred just as the Biden Administration sent Amos Hochstein, Washington’s top envoy tasked with averting a war between Israel and Hezbollah, to urge the Israeli government to calm the situation with Lebanon. Instead, Israel responded by escalating the conflict. The horrifying attack, which occurred across Lebanon, targeted unsuspecting victims carrying pagers. These devices suddenly exploded in their hands, pockets, and nearby, causing widespread panic, severe injuries, and mass destruction. The blasts left streets and shops soaked in blood, while hospitals in Beirut and across the region were overwhelmed by the injured, many of whom sustained critical wounds. The Biden Administration must condemn violence that targets and implicates civilians as they go about their daily lives, and must unequivocally denounce this attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cannot be allowed to continue undermining efforts for peace.  Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) stands in solidarity with the people of Lebanon and calls for immediate accountability for the lives lost and those forever scarred by this act of terror. We demand that the international community hold Israel responsible for this brutal aggression. The deliberate targeting of pagers with explosives represents a significant escalation of violence that has terrorized civilians and threatens to destabilize the entire region. The Biden administration must cease its ongoing support for Israel’s unchecked military actions, which have led to widespread death, injury, and displacement across Lebanon and Palestine. U.S. complicity in these acts of aggression continues to fuel violence and erode America’s credibility on the global stage. President Biden and Secretary Blinken must take concrete steps to halt further aid to Israel and impose real consequences for these crimes against humanity. His policy of appeasement and aversion to leveraging America's arms shipments to Israel shows weakness and communicates to Netanyahu he may continue dragging and implicating the United States in war crimes. If the President does not stand against Netanyahu he will risk dragging the United States into a broader conflict in the region. We cannot allow these atrocities to continue. The explosions in Lebanon are not isolated incidents but part of a larger pattern of violence and disregard for civilian life. AJP Action calls on all responsible leaders and advocates for human rights to stand together and demand justice for the victims. The bloodshed must end, and those responsible for these atrocities must be held accountable. | 
