Take Action: Israel Kills 30 Palestinians
with U.S. Weapons
| | Since Wednesday, Israel has killed at least 30 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including five children under the age of 16 playing soccer and a six month-old child (Ha'aretz). Israel's Deputy Defense Minister threatened Palestinians with genocide, calling for an even "bigger holocaust" against residents of the Gaza Strip (Telegraph). Israel killed almost all of these Palestinians in air strikes most likely with its arsenal of fighter jets-Boeing F-15's and Lockheed F-16's-and attack helicopters-Boeing Apaches and Cobra Bells-paid for by U.S. taxpayers through annual military aid to Israel. Almost all of Israel's air-to-surface missiles, which would have been used in these attacks, are produced by U.S. corporations such as Hughes, Raytheon, General Dynamics, and Lockheed Martin and paid for by U.S. tax dollars. The US Campaign opposes all attacks on civilians. |
Is this how you want your tax dollars spent-to kill children playing soccer and to carry out threats of genocide?
President Bush has requested $2.55 billion in military aid for Israel in his proposed FY2009 budget. That's a 9% increase in military aid to Israel above and beyond actual spending in 2007. The budget request is the first installment of a ten-year Memorandum of Understanding signed between the United States and Israel in August 2007 to increase military aid by 25% over the next decade, totaling $30 billion.
The United States should be cutting off military aid to Israel for its human rights abuses and violations of the U.S. Arms Export Control and Foreign Assistance Acts, not increasing it.
| TAKE ACTION 1. Have your organization endorse a letter to the Appropriations Subcommittees with oversight over military aid calling on them to reject Bush's budget request and cut off military aid to Israel.The letter and a current list of organizational endorsements are below.The deadline for signing this letter is March 4.To have your organization endorse the letter, click here. 2. Individuals can send a letter opposing military aid to Israel to the Members of Congress who serve on these Appropriations Subcommittees by clicking here. 3. Sign up to receive an organizing packet with postcards, petitions, and fact sheets to educate and organize people in your community to oppose military aid to Israel.To get your organizing packet, click here. |
Sign-On Letter to Subcommittees on State, Foreign Operations, & Related Programs
Senate and House Appropriations Committees
Opposing FY2009 Budget Request for Military Aid to Israel
DEADLINE FOR SIGNING: MARCH 4
To add your organization's endorsement, click here.
We are writing to let you know that our organizations oppose the President's FY2009 budget request for $2.55 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Israel, which would be a 9% increase over actual spending in FY2007.This proposed increase is the first installment of a ten-year agreement between the United States and Israel, signed in August 2007, to increase military aid to Israel by 25%, totaling $30 billion by FY2018.
Israel uses weapons purchased through FMF to enforce its illegal 40-year military occupation and siege of the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip and to commit human rights violations against Palestinians in the OccupiedTerritories and against civilians in Lebanon.Israel's ongoing use of U.S. weapons to enforce an illegal military occupation and to commit human rights abuses places it in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act.
The Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs must examine the President's FY2009 budget request for $2.55 billion in FMF for Israel in light of Israel's violations of these U.S. laws.We urge the Subcommittee to hold Israel accountable for its violations of U.S. laws and apply the appropriate sanctions for countries that violate its terms.As long as Israel continues to violate U.S. law, the United States must cut off military aid, not increase it.
Signed by,
National Organizations
1. American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
2. Benedictines for Peace
3. Code Pink-Women for Peace
4. Council for the National Interest
5. Friends of Sabeel-North America
6. Jewish Voice for Peace
7. Peace Action
8. United for Peace and Justice
9. US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
Local Organizations
Alaska
1. Alaskans for Peace and Justice, Anchorage
Arizona
1. Foundation for Ending Apartheid in Israel, Queen Creek
2. Local to Global Justice, Phoenix
3. Progressives of the VerdeValley, Sedona
California
1. Americans for a Just Peace in the Middle East, Santa Barbara
2. Arts and Crafts Can Do, Santa Rosa
3. Borno Realty, San Diego
4. Free Gaza Movement, El Cerrito
5. Fresh Clean Day Publishing, Woodside
6. International Solidarity Movement-Northern California, El Cerrito
7. Islamic Center of Inland Empire, Rancho Cucamonga
8. Network of Spiritual Progressives-Sacramento Chapter, Sacramento
9. San FranciscoBay View National Black Newspaper, San Francisco
10. Spectronix Research, Vineburg
11. University of CaliforniaSanta Barbara Students for Justice in Palestine, Santa Barbara
12. Women in Black, Idyllwild
Colorado
1. Friends of Sabeel-Colorado, Boulder
Connecticut
1. Coalition for Social Justice, New Britain
2. We Refuse to Be Enemies, West Hartford
District of Columbia
1. Americans Concerned for Middle East Peace, Washington, DC
2. Malcolm X Day Committee, Washington, DC
Florida
1. Senior Citizens Islamic Society, Miramar
Georgia
1. Valdosta Citizens for Peace in the Middle East, Valdosta
Hawaii
1. Art 4 Peace Photography and Art, Kailua
Illinois
1. Day Star Books, Urbana
2. MuslimCommunity Center of Greater Rockford, Rockford
Indiana
1. Stand Now, Attica
Iowa
1. Enlighten Technologies, Cedar Rapids
2. Iowa Methodist Federation for Social Action, Des Moines
3. Iowans for a Free Palestine, Cedar Falls
Louisiana
1. American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee-New Orleans Chapter, New Orleans
Maryland
1. CarlislePeaceCollege, SandySpring
2. Friends of Tent of Nations, Cabin John
Massachusetts
1. Boston Coalition for Palestinian Rights, Boston
2. Students for Justice in Palestine-HampshireCollege, Amherst
3. United for Justice with Peace, Boston
4. Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety, Watertown
Michigan
1. Mid East: Just Peace, Cedar
Minnesota
1. Environmental Justice Advocate of Minnesota, St. Paul
2. Women against Military Madness-Mideast Committee, Minneapolis
Missouri
1. The American Muslim, Bridgeton
2. Women in Black, St. Louis
New York
1. American Council on Middle East Policy, New York
2. Aria Aperta, OzonePark
3. Caribbean and Latin America Support Project, New Paltz
4. Code Pink NYC-New York
5. Concerned Citizens for Peace, Hemlock
6. Dutchess Peace Coalition, Rhinebeck
7. HudsonValley Pax Christi, Highland
8. Iraqis in Exile, CliftonPark
9. Palestinian Rights Committee, Albany
10. Rochester Committee for Middle East Peace, Rochester
North Carolina
1. ActionCenter for Justice, Charlotte
2. Jews for a Just Peace-North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Ohio
1. Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network, Cleveland
2. Palestinian American Association, Westerville
Oklahoma
1. Songs for Peace, Ardmore
Oregon
1. Al-Nakba Awareness Project/Palestine: Just Justice, Eugene
2. Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights, Portland
3. Families for Children of Oregon, Portland
4. Lutherans for Justice in the Holy Land, Portland
5. Portland Peaceful Response Coalition, Portland
6. Veterans for Peace-Chapter 929, Springfield
7. Whitefeather Peace Community, Portland
Pennsylvania
1. Harrisburg Middle East Justice and Peace, Harrisburg
2. Philly Poetry, Philadelphia
Texas
1. Interfaith Community for Palestinian Rights, Austin
2. Isquare Investment Partners, Fort Worth
3. Peace Farm, Amarillo
Virginia
1. Pax Christi-Pentagon Area, Falls Church
Washington
1. American Muslims of Puget Sound, Lynnwood
2. Gaia's Blessings, Issaquah
3. Students for Peace & Justice in Israel-Palestine, University of Washington-Bothell, Bothell
Wisconsin
1. Madison-RafahSisterCity Project, Madison
2. Pagans for Peace, Milwaukee
To add your organization's endorsement of this letter, click here.
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