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Last Updated on September 30, 2026.

WASHINGTON – Following a vote on S.J.Res.852, seeking a State Department report on the human rights situation in the West Bank, Win Without War Government Relations Director Eric Eikenberry released the following statement: 

“For too long, Congress has refused, or made only limited attempts, to halt the coordinated attacks by violent settlers on Palestinian homes, lands, and schools in the West Bank. This failure has only reinforced a culture of impunity that contributed to the recent killings of U.S. citizens including Shireen Abu Akleh, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, and Omar Assad, among others. 

“Outrageously, mere hours after another attack, this time in the West Bank village of Jalud, the Senate again failed to hold the Israeli government accountable for settler violence which it continues to condone, abet and in some cases directly support. Regardless of whether the Israeli government’s leadership changes in the upcoming elections, we fear that its policy of ethnic cleansing in the West Bank will not end without a concerted push from Congress to put a stop to it.

“But the tide is turning. Today’s vote affirms the growing opposition to this violence and is a critical signal that the blank check approach to the Israeli government’s policies in and beyond the West Bank is ending. While a majority of senators would not utilize their power under the Foreign Assistance Act to mandate a simple report on the human rights situation and killing of U.S. citizens in the West Bank, we are encouraged that an unprecedented 47 senators voted for this resolution. 

“For people in Israel and Palestine to build true safety and a lasting peace, there must be accountability and justice. We thank Senators Van Hollen, Sanders, and Kaine for moving us closer toward that goal.”

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Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States.

September 30, 2026