Washington, D.C — In the wake of rapidly escalating tensions across the Middle East, Jewish Voice for Peace Action calls on the Biden administration and all members of Congress to take immediate action to stop a full-scale regional war, by ending impunity for the Israeli government’s violations of international law and by cutting off U.S. weapons to Israel. The only path to save lives in the Middle East is to establish an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, which would pave the way to immediate de-escalation and a broader ceasefire in the region.
In recent weeks, the Israeli government has been employing the same lethal tactics in Lebanon that it is unleashing on Palestinians in Gaza, using U.S. weapons to bomb densely populated areas, killing over 1,000 people and displacing approximately one million people from their homes, well over 10% of the total population. Over the past days, Israel has dropped bombs in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, and launched a ground invasion into Lebanon. Yesterday, the Iranian government launched ballistic missiles at Israel. A regional war is well underway, and it must end now to save lives.
For months, experts have warned that Biden’s policy of unconditional weapons shipments to Israel and shielding Israel from accountability in the international arena would result in regional war. Despite these warnings, in violation of existing U.S. law, and against the wishes of the majority of Americans, the Biden administration has sent over 50,000 tons of weapons and billions of dollars in military funding to the Israeli government. These have been used to kill over 42,000 Palestinians including more than 16,500 children.
The Biden administration and Congress have thus far failed to enforce any red lines for the Israeli government as it engages in ongoing and consistent war crimes and genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Predictably, this unchecked aggression now threatens to drag the U.S. into a direct confrontation with Iran.
Any initial claims from the Biden administration of not wanting a regional war ring hollow while the U.S. government continually and illegally provides billions of dollars in weapons to Israel, ongoing diplomatic cover for Israel’s systematic violations of international law, and militarily supports the Israeli government in ongoing acts of aggression.
To end this regional war and stop the ongoing and horrific Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, the U.S. government must immediately change course. Members of Congress must use the immense leverage at their disposal to rein in the Netanyahu regime, and end the genocide in Gaza by cutting off weapons to the Israeli government now.
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