He was only 15, excited to celebrate his birthday with a cake and a party with his family. He was watching with horror as the Israeli military attacked protestors in his village. Then he was fatally shot in the stomach. 

Last weekend, Ali Abu Alia became the fifth Palestinian child to be killed by live ammunition from the Israeli military this year. Tragically, he is unlikely to be the last. The United States sends $3.8 billion to the Israeli military every year. Not only does that money directly fund a 53-year-long military occupation, but it supplies U.S. weapons to kill and maim Palestinians, including children. Tell Congress: Have a heart for Palestinian children. Support legislation to stop funding their abuse and murder. 

According to Jeff Klein in Mondoweiss, between 2008 and 2011, live-fire rounds of Ruger’s .22 caliber sniper rifles, manufactured in Newport, NH, killed at least six Palestinians. Their names: 17-year-old Kusai al-Afrandi, 10-year-old Ahmad Musa, 20-year-old Mohammed Khawaje, 22-year-old Mohammed Hamid, 14-year-old Izzedine al-Jamal, and 36-year-old Yusuf Aqel. Now, Ali Abu Alia, killed on his 15th birthday, joins the list of those murdered. 

Israel began importing Ruger .22 sniper rifles for “riot control” during the First Intifada, arguing that these weapons were “less lethal,” but Ali’s murder proves otherwise. Tell Congress to stop allowing U.S. dollars to fund Israel’s abuse and murder of children. Tell them to support McCollum’s work to hold Israel (and Sturm, Ruger Co.) accountable for taking young Ali’s life.

Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota’s vital legislation is designed to protect the lives and basic human rights of Palestinian youth. H.R. 2407, the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, would prohibit U.S. dollars from being used to fund the “detention, interrogation, abuse, or ill-treatment of children.” We can’t decide what’s more shameful: that her legislation is even necessary in the first place, or that thus far it has received so little support. Tell Congress: Have a heart for Palestinian children. Support legislation to stop funding their abuse and murder. 

Upon the killing of Ali, Betty McCullum called on “the incoming Biden administration to fully investigate and verify to the American people that no U.S. taxpayer-funded military aid to Israel provided material assistance enabling this taking of a child’s life.” The EU Delegation to the Palestinians and UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov called for an investigation and reaffirmed that “children enjoy special protection under international law,” and UNICEF released a statement asking Israel to ”fully respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of all children and refrain from using violence against children, in accordance with International law.” 

With U.S. military assistance that includes no accountability, Israel has proven that it will neither respect international law nor the rights of children, even the right to live. We can't have more children suffer the same tragic fate as Ali and all the Palestinian youth who like him have died at the hands of Israel’s military. May Ali’s memory be a catalyst for Congress to support H.R. 2407.

Towards justice for Ali, 
Ariel, Ann, Angela, Carley, Caty, Cody, Danaka, Emily, Farida, Jodie, Kelsey, Leila, Leonardo, Maxine, Mary, Medea, Nancy, Paki, Teri, and Yousef