Bowman, Sanders and 12 reps demand Biden ‘shift policy’ over Israel’s ‘systemic violence against Palestinians’

Yesterday 14 Congresspeople, led by Bernie Sanders and Jamaal Bowman, sent a historic letter to President Biden and his secretary of state calling on them to “undertake a shift in U.S. policy” in recognition of the “systemic violence against Palestinians” and begin to condition aid to Israel: to assure that all future foreign assistance “is not used in support of gross violations of human rights.”

You say, Only 14. But the letter signed by the 14 (first circulated last month) establishes a firm address for Palestinian human rights inside the Congress. It includes the Squad and more traditional progressives, but also new reps, Summer Lee of Pittsburgh and Delia Ramirez of Chicago. The 14 are part of the “sea change” in U.S. attitudes towards Israel its own advocates acknowledge.

The letter’s civil-society supporters include 35 diverse progressive groups, plus a statement from Jewish community leaders (here) that numbers some from the liberal Zionist movement, such as Peter Beinart, Hadar Susskind of Americans for Peace Now, and Ayelet Waldman. Their presence demonstrates the momentous shift that is taking place inside the Jewish community, away from support for Israel.

No wonder that AIPAC has been attacking the letter by trying to undermine Bowman’s Jewish support inside his district (and attacking J Street with its friends on the letter, though J Street did not sign on).

Bowman has cut a higher and higher profile as an advocate for progressive values in New York.

“These 14 members of Congress are showing that there is a rapidly growing progressive flank in Congress that refuses to allow a progressive exception for Palestine,” Beth Miller of Jewish Voice for Peace Action, a leader in organizing the letter, said today.

The Congresspeople deplore actions of Netanyahu’s new rightwing government, including annexation of Palestinian land and settler violence. Israel is “in clear violation of international law and commitments made to the U.S.,” they say, and its agenda “will further devastate Palestinian communities.”

“Only clear steps to change political conditions will pave the way for peace.”

They point out that all the U.S. entreaties for “equal measures of freedom, dignity, security and prosperity” for both Israelis and Palestinians “have had no effect” on Israel.

Miller noted that Bernie Sanders has followed through on his declaration to “Face the Nation” in February that the U.S. should cut aid to Israel over its “racist” government.

I think we’ve got to put some strings attached to that and say you cannot run a racist government. You cannot turn your back on a two-state solution. You cannot demean the Palestinian people there. You just can’t do it and then come to America and ask for money.”

The letter reflects the political awareness not just that there should there be legislative consequences of Israel’s behavior, Miller said, but that such actions are popular– as evidenced by the Gallup poll showing that Democrats are more sympathetic to Palestinians than Israelis for the first time, and by a sizeable margin (49-38). “The Democratic leadership is out of touch with what is actually possible and what most voters want,” Miller said. “This is the direction people are moving in. The Democratic leadership if they want to keep up, they need to change course.”

Bowman and Sanders were joined by Reps. Cori Bush, André Carson, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Raúl Grijalva, Summer Lee, Betty McCollum, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Delia Ramirez, and Rashida Tlaib.

The list of organizations supporting the letter is a broad swath of the left. It includes Palestinian groups, Muslim groups, Christian groups, and groups involved in U.S. racial justice issues such as the Sunrise Movement, Justice Democrats, the Working Families Party, and the Movement for Black Lives.

Here is the letter from Jewish leaders who are “proud” to support the Bowman/Sanders letter. It includes many more-mainstream individuals, such as NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, Waldman, Kathleen Peratis, Susskind, Libby Lenkinski, Michael Chabon, Beinart, and Ruth Messinger. Not to mention IfNotNow non-Zionists, and Jewish Voice for Peace anti-Zionists. The letter has strong language about the real problem over there:

It is clear that the Israeli government’s state violence, as well as settler violence, is worsening under Israel’s current far-right government and is actively diminishing the possibility of a future of justice and liberation. 

Any serious discussion of a peaceful resolution must be rooted in the reality on the ground, which includes decades of military occupation and a fundamental power imbalance between Israelis and Palestinians. This [Congressional] letter is an important intervention by leaders in Congress and we hope that the Biden administration will take immediate action.

Though Sanders is the only Senator to sign, the Senate is surely cognizant of the change in attitude– witness recent statements by Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy and Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen suggesting that U.S. aid not support human rights violations in Palestine. And Michael Bennet telling Democratic Majority for Israel Let’s not get “hopeless” in the Democratic Party (yet).

Also note that Americans for Peace Now continues to demonstrate leadership from within the Jewish establishment, though J Street can’t bring itself to go so far. APN has insisted this is about Palestinian human rights and even said it’s apartheid. APN’s statement on the congressional letter spoke of “systematic violence.”

Despite US diplomatic efforts, and in violation of public promises to the administration, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government continues taking steps to advance annexation of the West Bank and continues its systematic violation of Palestinian rights… [I]t is clear that the United States must go beyond verbal statements of disapproval. 

APN’s President and CEO Hadar Susskind said: “It is clear that the United States can no longer rely on diplomatic promises from Prime Minister Netanyahu. At a minimum, we must ensure that our aid to Israel is in compliance with existing US laws and not being used to violate human rights. I am grateful to Congressman Bowman, Senator Sanders and their colleagues on Capitol Hill for taking a stand with this important letter.”

The letter got star billing in Haaretz, which said that the letter urges a “foundational shift in [Biden’s] approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in progressives’ most significant missive to date against the Israeli government since Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition assumed power.”