Congress Must Uphold U.S. Law, Protect Lives in Palestine, Israel, and Beyond

Ceasefire installation at dusk

Last Updated on October 10, 2024.

WashingtonWin Without War Government Relations Director Eric Eikenberry released the following statement in support of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) filing multiple joint resolutions of disapproval to block offensive weapons transfers to the Israeli government:

“We strongly support Senator Sanders’ decision to introduce joint resolutions of disapproval against a slate of recently notified weapons sales to the Israeli government. We urge senators to vote for these resolutions when they are brought to the floor.

“The government of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has used these same kinds of U.S.-made weapons, from joint direct attack munitions (JDAMs) to tank shells to F-15s, to create an unmitigated humanitarian catastrophe for Palestinians in Gaza while pushing the broader region to the brink of a devastating, all-out war. Moving ahead with these sales is unconscionable. The Israeli government continues to thwart the Biden administration’s efforts to secure a ceasefire by conducting mass casualty strikes in Gaza and Lebanon, obstructing humanitarian aid, and pursuing provocative escalations in its confrontation with Hezbollah. In this context, further offensive weapons both reward PM Netanyahu’s political intransigence and all but guarantee that the people of Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and beyond will be denied the safety and security they require.

“For months, people across the country and indeed around the world have been pleading for the Biden administration to take a desperately needed step toward ending the horrific war in Gaza: enforce U.S. human rights laws governing offensive weapons transfers, withholding them until PM Netanyahu and the Israeli government move to secure a ceasefire-and-hostage-release deal that protects Palestinians, reunites Israelis with their loved ones, and ends the slide towards a regional war. These resolutions give Congress an opportunity to uphold U.S. law and apply the leverage necessary to bring this terrible war to a close. We implore members to seize it.”

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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 26, 2024