Two progressive House members are circulating a congressional letter to Secretary of State Tony Blinken. The letter calls on the Biden administration to use diplomatic pressure in an effort to stop the displacement of Palestinians in the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Al-Bustan and Sheikh Jarrah.
“We appreciate your urgent attention to the dire situation in the West Bank. We look forward to your earliest possible reply and working with you to uphold the dignity and human rights of all peoples around the world,” it reads.
The letter specifically calls on the administration to do the following:
1. Immediately send the strongest possible diplomatic message to Israel to desist from its plans to demolish Palestinian homes in Al-Bustan and evict Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah.
2. Publicly reiterate that Ambassador Yost’s statement on Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem is still official U.S.policy.
3. Undertake an expeditious review of previous Congressional requests that the State Department investigate whether Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes with U.S. weapons violates the Arms Export Control Act (AECA).
4. If Israel proceeds with its plans to demolish Palestinian homes in Al-Bustan and evict Palestinian residents from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah, then the U.S.Embassy to Israel should send observers to document Israel’s forced displacement of Palestinians, including details on the military units involved in these operations and the usage of any U.S. weapons for purposes of oversight and accountability regarding Leahy Law and AECA violations.
The Leahy Law prohibits the U.S. government from providing military assistance to security force units with records of human rights abuse.
The letter is being circulated by Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Rep. Marie Newman (D-IL). Both lawmakers have tweeted about the situation in Jerusalem. Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar, Betty McCollum and others have also shared social media posts in solidarity with Palestinians.
“I know what it’s like to be brutalized for simply advocating for my own humanity,” tweeted Bush. “I stand in strong solidarity with our Palestinian siblings mobilizing to #SaveSheikhJarrah. @SecBlinken, I’m calling on you to condemn these attacks immediately.”
Axios‘ Barak Ravid reports that Israel’s National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat asked the U.S. government to stay out of the crisis. “Israeli officials said Ben Shabbat told [United States National Security Advisor Jake] Sullivan during the phone call that Israel believes the Biden administration and the rest of the international community should stay out of the crisis in Jerusalem and avoid pressing Israel,” writes Ravid. “Ben Shabbat told Sullivan that ‘international intervention is a reward to the Palestinian rioters and those who back them who were seeking international pressure on Israel,” according to an Israeli official briefed on the call.'”
Last month Rep. Betty McCollum introduced H.R.2590, the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act. The legislation would block Israel from using U.S. aid to detain Palestinian children or annex Palestinian land. It would also require the Secretary of State to report whether these rules were actually imposed.
House members have until 3 PM today to sign the Newman-Pocan letter.
Since this piece ran the letter was signed by 23 additional House members and delivered to Blinken. The signatories are listed below:
Rep. Marie Newman
Rep. Mark Pocan
Rep. Pramila Jayapal
Rep. Betty McCollum
Rep. Rashida Tlaib
Rep. Raul Grijalva
Rep. Ilhan Omar
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Rep. Gerry Connolly
Rep. Jared Huffman
Rep. André Carson
Rep. Peter Welch
Rep. Chuy García
Rep. Cori Bush
Rep. Judy Chu
Rep. Alan Lowenthal
Rep. Jackie Speier
Rep. Veronica Escobar
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson
Rep. Hank Johnson
Rep. Chellie Pingree
Rep. Bobby Rush
Rep. Anna Eshoo
Rep. Debbie Dingell
Rep. Ayanna Presley
There is a huge difference in the way Palestinians who riot are treated, and how the Israelis who riot, including the illegal settlers are treated. The US has every right to call Israel out for its transgressions, and crimes against the Palestinians. Every year during the month of Ramadan, these Israeli goons never fail to attack the Palestinians and make their lives miserable. The Israelis have been trying to take over the Al Aqsa Mosque, and have tried all crooked methods, even excavations underneath, to do so. They are simply waiting for the Mosque to fall, and shame on those Arab nations who keep kissing Netanyahu’s ring, and indifferent to Israel’s crimes.
Israel’s crimes against occupied people are funded by us, the tax payers. Now they try to act the victim once again, and the US pretends to believe them. We become the good cops during these times, and wring our hands, act “concerned” and call on “both sides” to have restraint.
We have gone through far too many times. It rings hollow every time.
It is time for BDS. The world should do something NOW.