Twenty Democrats name for upholding US legal guidelines that prohibit arming international locations that block humanitarian help.
Washington, DC – Twenty Democratic legislators in the US have urged the administration of President Joe Biden to halt the switch of offensive weapons to Israel, noting that the Israeli authorities has not complied with US calls for for extra assist to enter Gaza.
In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, the Congress members referred to as on Washington to uphold its personal legal guidelines that prohibit army assist to international locations that commit conflict crimes and block US-backed humanitarian help.
“We consider persevering with to switch offensive weapons to the Israeli authorities prolongs the struggling of the Palestinian individuals and dangers our personal nationwide safety by sending a message to the world that the US will apply its legal guidelines, insurance policies, and worldwide legislation selectively,” the letter mentioned.
It added that failure to behave would extend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conflict on Gaza, “isolating Israel on the worldwide stage and creating additional instability within the area”.
The letter was led by Summer season Lee and Greg Casar, who was just lately elected to guide the Congressional Progressive Caucus subsequent yr, succeeding Pramila Jayapal.
The push is unlikely to persuade Biden and Blinken, who’ve repeatedly pledged their “ironclad” assist for Israel, to vary course. Nevertheless it underscores the persisting progressive strain on the US administration over its Center East coverage.
It additionally highlights Casar as a critic of Israel earlier than he turns into the chair of the influential Progressive Caucus.
At present, I am main 20 Members of Congress to demand that the Biden Admin withhold offensive weapons from the Israeli army.
U.S. legislation is obvious: if the Netanyahu authorities doesn’t permit enough meals & medication to enter Gaza, then the U.S. can not ship weapons. pic.twitter.com/NHhhZMuGt1
— Congressman Greg Casar (@RepCasar) December 17, 2024
The congressional assertion focuses on the Biden administration’s ultimatum to Israel in October, when US officers warned Israel in a letter to allow the circulation of humanitarian assist into Gaza inside 30 days or face penalties.
Though a number of humanitarian teams have mentioned that Israel failed to satisfy the situations outlined by Washington to enhance the scenario in Gaza, the Biden administration mentioned after the deadline that it will proceed to provide weapons to Israel.
“Whereas Israel made nominal progress in some areas, it overwhelmingly failed to satisfy the minimal requirements specified by the Administration’s personal letter,” the lawmakers wrote.
For instance, US officers demanded permitting 350 assist vans to the besieged Palestinian territory. However a median of 42 vans have been allowed into Gaza every day through the 30-day interval.
Actually, humanitarian teams – together with the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, Refugees Worldwide and Save the Youngsters – accused Israel of taking “actions that dramatically worsened the scenario on the bottom, significantly in northern Gaza” after the US warning.
“Israel has didn’t adjust to its ally’s calls for – at monumental human value for Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” the teams mentioned in a joint assertion final month.
A suffocating Israeli blockade has introduced lethal starvation to Gaza. The conflict, which has destroyed giant components of Gaza, has killed more than 45,000 people, based on native well being authorities.
United Nations consultants and several other rights groups have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza – an effort to destroy the Palestinian individuals partly or in full.
The Worldwide Felony Court docket final month issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over suspected conflict crimes in Gaza, together with utilizing starvation as a weapon of conflict.
However the US has remained unflinching with its assist for its ally. A latest Brown College research estimated that the Biden administration provided $17.9bn to Israel to assist fund the primary yr of the conflict on Gaza.
Tuesday’s congressional letter coincided with the filing of a lawsuit by Palestinians in Gaza, the West Financial institution and the US aiming to compel Washington finish army assist to Israeli military models partaking in human rights violations.