Tell Congress: Demand the Biden Admin Sanction Israeli Settler Groups in Palestine! TAKE ACTION!

Israel spent the one year anniversary of it’s genocide campaign by dropping more bombs and horror on Gaza and Lebanon. Today, a new UN inquiry openly accused Israel of “extermination” in Gaza as it unleashes artillery, airstrikes, and a ground invasion while telling over a quarter-million North Gazans to evacuate south. Yet those attempting to flee have faced relentless bombardment, drone strikes, and sniper fire. Northern Gaza has been entirely cut off from receiving aid and essential goods, leaving those lucky enough to have flour to bake bread without gas. The last operating bakery in northern Gaza was bombed just two days ago, making Israel’s intention to wipe out anyone who remains in the north abundantly clear. As Gazans in the north are starved to death, $17.9 billion in U.S. military aid over the past year continues to fuel Israel’s expanding violence across Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iran. 

As we mourn one year of Israel’s U.S.-backed genocide campaign in Gaza, let’s remember: this doesn’t  just mark a year of violence; it’s a testament to decades of unbroken resistance. We’ve witnessed a year of nonstop global action for the liberation of Palestine — from mass mobilizations to targeted campaigns against U.S. military aid to Israel, we’ve taken countless steps to demand justice. CODEPINK joined millions answering the global call to action on the anniversary of the genocide, but still, one thing is clear: our work is just beginning. As Israel escalates its attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, the violent expansion of settlements in the West Bank flies under the radar. It’s time to transition to the consistent, sustainable organizing necessary to combat Israel’s terrorism — and renew our intentions to continue the struggle ahead.

Israeli settler groups — backed by the Israeli military and often funded by U.S. nonprofits — are instrumental in advancing Israel’s colonial expansion by violently stealing Palestinian land and carrying out attacks on Palestinians. Over 730,000 settlers occupy the West Bank and East Jerusalem in illegal outposts and settlements. These settlements essentially become placeholders to facilitate greater Israeli control of Palestine. Every neighborhood in Israel was established through this same pattern of violence and dispossession. Since last October, settler violence in the West Bank has surged to an average of four incidents per day. Settlements are tools of colonialism, advancing Israel’s ambitions under the guise of civilian settlement. They are the foothold for Israel’s absorption of the West Bank, and their escalations in tandem with the Occupation Forces’ aggression on Gaza emphasize their unified mission to colonize all of Palestine. 

We are partnering with Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) to hold settler groups accountable for their war crimes and target their sources of funding here in the U.S. Right now, you can take action by signing our petition to Congress demanding they pressure the Biden Administration to sanction Israeli Settler Groups in Palestine! The petition will be presented by CODEPINK and DAWN during upcoming meetings with members of Congress where we will be educating them on this issue. DAWN has already been successful in sanctioning Yitzhak Levi Filant, the civilian security coordinator of the Yitzhar settlement in the West Bank — public pressure could be the push necessary to keep the momentum for accountability going!

We cannot wait until everything is lost for us to snap into action. Will Israel absorb the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon into “greater Israel” before you realize the urgency is real, and the stakes are high? Decades of Israel’s violence across the Middle East backed by U.S. funding is enough to know that we must stop this ourselves. As we reflect on this past year, I invite each of you to ask yourselves: What is my role in the movement for justice and liberation? We all have a part in this, and operating with clarity and a sense of purpose is crucial for maximizing our effectiveness. Liberation is possible, but it will take all of us to achieve it.

👉 In case you missed it:

• Take Action to let journalists into Gaza!
• Tell VP Harris: Feminism is anti-war!
• Join our next Missing Peace Monday session on Lebanon with Rania Khalek on 10/14!
• Join our next CODEPINK Congress: Iran — What's Next?
• Unmask politicians bought by Zionism!
• Sign up to organize and engage locally!
• Order our CODEPINK pink keffiyehs from the West Bank!

Until Liberation,

Nour and the entire CODEPINK team