Tlaib Leads Colleagues in Opposing Israeli Government’s Use of Starvation as a Weapon
DETROIT — Today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) led 19 Members of Congress in a letter to the Trump Administration opposing the Israeli government’s weaponization of humanitarian aid and escalating use of starvation as a weapon of war.
For months, the Israeli government has blocked nearly all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, fueling mass starvation and suffering among over 2 million people. According to experts, 100 percent of the population is now at risk of famine, and nearly half a million Palestinians, most of them children, are facing “catastrophic” conditions of “starvation, death, destitution and extremely critical acute malnutrition levels.”
Instead of enabling the swift delivery of humanitarian aid, the Israeli government is actively dismantling and weaponizing it. This letter rejects the Israeli government’s new plan—backed by the Trump Administration—to militarize food distribution and take full control of humanitarian operations in Gaza. This plan fails to meet basic international standards and has been rejected by United Nations officials and a wide spectrum of respected international humanitarian aid organizations. We are already seeing the tragic and predictable consequences of this plan in action, with Israeli forces on multiple occasions opening fire at hungry Palestinians seeking food, killing hundreds and injuring more.
“We cannot be silent,” the lawmakers wrote. “This current blockade is starving Palestinian civilians in violation of international law, and the militarization of food will not help. We demand an immediate end to the blockade, an immediate resumption of unfettered humanitarian aid entry into Gaza, the restoration of U.S. funding to UNRWA, and an immediate and lasting ceasefire. Any other path forward is a path toward greater hunger, famine, and death.”
The letter is also signed by: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Summer Lee (PA-12), Jim McGovern (MA-07), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
This letter is endorsed by: Friends Committee on National Legislation, Quincy Institute, Amnesty International USA, Rabbis for Ceasefire, Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action), Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Peace Action, Defense for Children International – Palestine, Doctors Against Genocide, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Center for International Policy, Adalah Justice Project, The American Council for Judaism, IMEU Policy Project, Gen-Z for Change, IfNotNow Movement, American Muslims for Palestine, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Veterans For Peace, MPower Change Action Fund, Justice is Global, Community Alliance for Peace and Justice, Hindus for Human Rights, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions USA (ICAHD-USA), MADRE, Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Muslims United PAC, Arab American Institute, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Arab American Civic Council, ReThinking Foreign Policy, 99 Coalition, CODEPINK, Friends of Sabeel North America, North Carolina Peace Action, Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ, Friends of Hebron, Detroit-Michigan Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, RootsAction, Progressive Jews of St. Louis, Progressive Democrats of America – Central New Mexico, Orange County for Justice in Palestine, Des Moines for Palestine, Austin for Palestine Coalition, Queer Folk Inc., Minnesota Peace Project, Alameda Family and Friends for Collective Liberation, Pax Christi New York State, Cleveland Peace Action, Granny’s Helpers, MARUF CT, Northeastern Pennsylvania Democratic Socialists, Peace and Justice Coalition of Prince Georges County MD, Forever Pride Action, Stand up. Fight Back. Southeastern Michigan!, The People’s Coalition, NEPA for Palestine, Busboys and Poets, Progressive Democrats of America- Arizona, Jewish Voice for Peace Albuquerque, Teaching Palestine, Maine Coalition for Palestine, Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies Program – San Francisco State University, FOSNA-Michigan, Albuquerque DSA, Los Jardines Institute, Huntington Woods Citizens for Ceasefire, Southeast Michigan Synod – ELCA, Northern New Mexico Showing Up for Racial Justice, National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, If Not Now SE Michigan, Hubbard Faith Project, Lancaster PA DSA, Ramallah Club of Metro Detroit, The Huntington Woods Peace Group, Berks for Palestine, Indiana Center for Middle East Peace, Jewish Voice for Peace Central Ohio, Together for Brothers, Faith Roots Reproductive Action, Jews for Justice Education Committee, United Church of Christ, Migrant Roots Media, Harrisburg Palestine Coalition, Teeniors, Mixte Communications, Teaching Palestine: Pedagogical Praxis and the Indivisibility of Justice, and Albuquerque Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker).
A full copy of the letter can be found here.
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