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John,
We cannot separate repression and fascism in the U.S. from U.S.-supported fascism abroad.
For example, hundreds of protesters at Columbia and Harvard Universities showed up this month to protest events featuring former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who has participated in war crimes, boasted about killing Arabs, and pushed against Arab self-determination. He called himself “more right-wing” than current genocidal Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has warrants out for his arrest from the International Criminal Court.1
Detained Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil has been advocating for U.S. divestment from Israeli apartheid and genocide, and we must continue that fight, which is more urgent than ever.
This month, I introduced Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block Trump’s attempt to bypass Congress and send billions of dollars worth of weapons and bombs to Israel’s government. These are the same weapons that have been used to kill mostly children and women in Gaza; weapons that enable Israel to continue carrying out war crimes.
Representative Pramila Jayapal and I introduced Joint Resolutions in the House of Representatives, and Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced new ones in the Senate. Now, both legislative branches of our federal government have the opportunity to block over $8 billion in weapons and bombs to Israel.
The head of Amnesty International USA has urged Congress to pass these resolutions, saying: “Congress must step in to block the transfer of U.S.-origin weapons to Israel when there is a grave risk that these weapons will fuel further violations of international law, including the crime of genocide.”
Sign on to urge Congress to support our latest Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block over $8 billion in weapons to Israel.
Thank you for continuing to stand up for our shared humanity, and joining human rights groups in demanding the U.S. government end arms transfers to Israel’s apartheid, genocidal government. We will continue pushing back against fascism and instead pushing to save lives—at home and abroad.
With you in this fight,
Rashida
1. Naftali Bennett: The rise of Israel's new PM, At Harvard Talk, Former Israeli PM Joked He Would Give Exploding Pagers to Protesters
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rashida Tlaib
Date: Tue, Mar 18, 2025
Subject: Sign to block weapons to Israel’s government
To: [email protected]
John,
For years, Israel’s government has denied and limited Gaza’s access to food, water, medicine, electricity, and the conditions necessary for life.1 When the first phase of the latest ceasefire agreement ended over two weeks ago, Israel again announced that it would close Gaza’s borders and block all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. The United Nations, the International Criminal Court, numerous countries, and human rights groups have spoken out against this illegal blockade.
Yesterday Israel also resumed heavy bombing of Gaza, killing hundreds of Palestinians in a day.
Millions of Palestinians in Gaza are facing famine, with all of their borders tightly controlled by Israel. The one entry into Egypt was supposed to stay open for people to exit for medical care abroad, but Israeli tanks keep firing on ambulances with sick children who are trying to leave. In violation of the ceasefire and international law, Israel’s government has continued killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure in Gaza.
Despite these clear war crimes, the U.S. government continues to supply Israel with weapons and bombs that will be used to kill more civilians.
Already, Trump has bypassed Congress multiple times to send billions of dollars worth of weapons to Israel.2 He’s also gloated about ethnically cleansing all 2.3 million Palestinian residents of Gaza and turning it into a “Middle East Riviera” with hotels and beachfront properties he can profit from.3
This month I introduced multiple Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block over $8 billion in weapons and bombs to Israel, along with my colleagues Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Amnesty International USA supports these resolutions, saying: “Amnesty International has continuously provided extensive evidence that Israeli forces have repeatedly used U.S.-origin weapons in violation of international law as well as U.S. law and policy… We urge all members of Congress to lean into their oversight role and support these Joint Resolutions of Disapproval.”
Join me and groups like Amnesty International: Add your name to demand Congress pass the latest Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block weapons to Israel.
Amnesty International is also among multiple human rights groups that have named Israel’s actions genocidal. Our taxpayer dollars should go to housing, healthcare, and other community needs—not genocide.
As Americans continue to protest against Mahmoud Khalil’s illegal imprisonment and the State Department’s targeting of other students, let’s remember that U.S. repression of our own residents can’t be separated from U.S.-supported repression and fascism abroad.
This month, Mahmoud and hundreds of other Columbia University students protested as former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke on their campus. Bennett has said there are no Palestinian children (outrageously calling children terrorists) and has himself personally been involved in war crimes, like the 1996 Qana massacre of more than 100 civilians and UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.4
After his visit to Columbia University, Bennett went to speak at Harvard, where hundreds of students also protested his arrival. When the moderator for the Harvard event warned that audience members who interrupted Bennett would be removed, Bennett said, “I think we’ll just give them a pager.”5 This disgusting comment about killing Americans on U.S. soil referenced last September’s attacks, when Israel’s government killed children and healthcare workers by exploding pagers throughout Lebanon’s civilian population.
When current Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu came to the White House to celebrate Trump’s electoral win, he brought a golden pager—again dehumanizing Lebanese and Palestinian people and making light of war crimes—along with a plaque calling Trump Israel’s “greatest friend and greatest ally.”
The fight to divest U.S. weapons, funds, and support from Israel is more urgent than ever.
Instead of continuing to arm Israel, our government should be pushing to begin the second phase of the ceasefire deal, which includes Israel’s total withdrawal from Gaza. Complete withdrawal from the occupied territories in Palestine is what international law demands, which has been affirmed by recent orders from the world’s top court and from the vast majority of countries in the United Nations.
Please sign on now to support the latest Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block weapons transfers to Israel, and to demand Israel let in humanitarian aid and withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank.
Thank you for demanding an arms embargo. Together, we will keep pushing our government to end its support for apartheid and genocide, and instead save lives at home and abroad.
In solidarity,
Rashida
1 Putting Palestinians “On a Diet”: Israel’s Siege & Blockade of Gaza
2 Trump administration backs big arms sales to Israel, defying Congress, Trump Bypasses Congress to Give $3B in Weapons to Israel
3 Trump Indicates Intent to Escalate Ethnic Cleansing in Gaza, Trump’s plan for ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Gaza is illegal, says UN investigator
4 ‘No apologies,’ Bennett declares — and controversy breaks over his role in ’96 massacre
5 At Harvard Talk, Former Israeli PM Joked He Would Give Exploding Pagers to Protesters
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