More than 30 Democrats in Congress signed it, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, former House Speaker and a key ally of Joe Biden. letter He wrote to the President and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, appealing for an end to arms transfers to Israel.
“Given the recent strikes against aid workers and the worsening humanitarian crisis, we believe it would be unwarranted to authorize these arms transfers,” the letter said. It was signed by Pelosi and 36 other Democrats, including Reps. Barbara Lee, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Friday’s letter also said that pending a U.S. investigation into the airstrikes on World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers, or if Israel “is unable to adequately mitigate the harm to innocent civilians in Gaza.” has asked the United States to suspend future arms transfers.
Biden on Thursday directed Israel to take concrete steps to protect civilians and aid workers in the Gaza Strip or risk losing military aid from the United States. Hours later, leading Democratic senators led by the president increased pressure on the White House to take further action.
Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders was one of the strongest voices. “Israel should not get any new aid in military aid” until there is a significant boost in the flow of supplies to areas the United States suspects are already suffering from starvation, he said.
“We are witnessing one of the worst humanitarian disasters we have experienced in a very long time, as Israel is unable to bring humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza, especially in areas where people are in the most desperate situation. Because we don’t have permission to bring it into the country,” Sanders said. Said CNN on Thursday.
The Vermont senator added that it’s not America’s job to worry about how Gaza ties into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future, adding, “My thinking is that once our children are born, “Military aid should end now,” he added. [there] I’m starving. ”
Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said the National Security Memorandum signed in February aimed at making military weapons transfers to Israel conditional on compliance with humanitarian standards. He insisted that the president implement the law.
“I was pleased to see the president indicate that he intends to monitor compliance and base future U.S. policy on meeting these requirements,” Van Hollen said. political handbook. “This suggests that it is no longer ‘anything goes’ when it comes to policy towards the Netanyahu government.”
At the top of the list of policies Biden may use against Israel is a policy against Israel if it fails to “mitigate civilian harm” or “obtain desperately needed aid to those in need.” “Assault weapons” transfers are halted, Van Hollen said.The senator hinted at the policy days after Israeli airstrikes resulted in deaths. 7 employees of an international food charity World Central Kitchen (WCK). After the attack, a cargo ship carrying 240 tons of food bound for Gaza returned to Cyprus.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, said she was trying to block the sale of F-15s to Israel following the killing of WCK employees, including one American-Canadian and three British nationals.
The day before the WCK employees were killed, reports surfaced that the Biden administration was considering an $18 billion arms transfer plan to Israel, including more than 20 F-15 fighter jets.
“We cannot authorize arms sales to countries that violate our own laws,” Warren said. CNN. “That includes access to humanitarian relief.
“This is both a moral issue and a legal issue. Congress has a responsibility here, and I’m happy to take that responsibility.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel had unintentionally killed a WCK official and that two senior military officials had been fired as a result.
Sanders, Van Hollen and Warren are all part of the 51-49 majority held in the Senate by Democrats (and independents who caucus with them).
Biden and his administration have generally been staunch supporters of Israel, which attacked Gaza by land and air after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,100 Israelis and took hostages. But as the death toll in Gaza exceeds 30,000 and the humanitarian crisis worsens, the United States, which provides Israel with at least $3.8 billion in annual security assistance, recently issued a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Abstained from the UN vote. .
Biden also called for an immediate ceasefire for the first time on Thursday.
