For twelve months, the world has witnessed the calculated death, destruction and dehumanization of an entire population in Gaza at the hands of the State of Israel, funded and supported by U.S. taxpayers to the tune of $17.9 billion in military aid since October 2023 according to Brown University’s Costs of War project. President Biden is now requesting an additional $20 billion in arms sales to Israel. Our government’s complicity in this genocide is abhorrent and contrary to both international law and our own domestic laws which prohibit the sales and transfers of weapons to any country suspected of engaging in human rights violations. Israel is apparently the exception.
Relying on U.S. political and military support, Netanyahu and his far-right ministers have been acting with impunity and have brazenly extended their indiscriminate slaughter and bloodshed to the occupied West Bank, to Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. This genocide is being livestreamed to our phones and computers every day as Israel is killing healthcare workers, journalists, teachers and academics, humanitarian aid workers, religious leaders, and even sniping young children in the head. Clear evidence for future war crime tribunals but today Israel is the exception.
The world’s highest court and the U.N. General Assembly have both said “enough is enough” in so many words and ordered Israel to stop its merciless campaigns against the innocent men, women and children who are defenseless against this juggernaut. Israel’s repetitive claims of “self-defense” in the wake of decades of a brutal military occupation ring hollow but confirms that Israel remains the exception.
UN experts warn that “[t]he world stands upon the edge of a knife: Either we travel collectively towards a future of just peace and lawfulness – or hurtle towards anarchy and dystopia, and a world where might makes right. Failure to act now jeopardizes the entire edifice of international law and rule of law in world affairs.” The U.S. must take action to stop Israel’s attacks against the Palestinians and end its unlawful occupation. We have a legal obligation to comply with the ruling of the International Court of Justice and the United Nations. We either abide by the rule of law or we live by the law of the jungle. Israel can no longer be the exception.
Senator Bernie Sanders and several colleagues have introduced a Joint Resolution of Disapproval (JRD) to prohibit President Biden’s $20 billion arms sales to Israel. The United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands and most recently France have taken similar steps to stop the flow of weapons to Israel. United Nations bodies and numerous humanitarian organizations have called for an end to the arms shipments fueling the conflict.
Senators Heinrich and Lujan should approve the JRD. The U.S. must impose a full arms embargo on Israel, halting all arms agreements, imports, exports and transfers, including of dual-use items that could be used against the Palestinian population under occupation. Congress should also rescind legislation and policies that criminalize and penalize advocacy in support of Palestinian rights to self-determination and non-violent opposition to Israel’s occupation and apartheid, including support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.
Sadly, this past year has revealed the failures and weak moral compass of many of our elected officials. They could have used their leverage to demand an arms embargo many months ago and saved thousands of lives. Will they have the mettle to demand an end to U.S. complicity in this genocide now?
Submitted as Commentary
This column was submitted as a letter to the editor by the listed author. Publishing does not imply endorsement by The Paper or its staff. Submit yours at editor@abq.news
Israel is the Exception
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For twelve months, the world has witnessed the calculated death, destruction and dehumanization of an entire population in Gaza at the hands of the State of Israel, funded and supported by U.S. taxpayers to the tune of $17.9 billion in military aid since October 2023 according to Brown University’s Costs of War project. President Biden is now requesting an additional $20 billion in arms sales to Israel. Our government’s complicity in this genocide is abhorrent and contrary to both international law and our own domestic laws which prohibit the sales and transfers of weapons to any country suspected of engaging in human rights violations. Israel is apparently the exception.
Relying on U.S. political and military support, Netanyahu and his far-right ministers have been acting with impunity and have brazenly extended their indiscriminate slaughter and bloodshed to the occupied West Bank, to Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. This genocide is being livestreamed to our phones and computers every day as Israel is killing healthcare workers, journalists, teachers and academics, humanitarian aid workers, religious leaders, and even sniping young children in the head. Clear evidence for future war crime tribunals but today Israel is the exception.
The world’s highest court and the U.N. General Assembly have both said “enough is enough” in so many words and ordered Israel to stop its merciless campaigns against the innocent men, women and children who are defenseless against this juggernaut. Israel’s repetitive claims of “self-defense” in the wake of decades of a brutal military occupation ring hollow but confirms that Israel remains the exception.
UN experts warn that “[t]he world stands upon the edge of a knife: Either we travel collectively towards a future of just peace and lawfulness – or hurtle towards anarchy and dystopia, and a world where might makes right. Failure to act now jeopardizes the entire edifice of international law and rule of law in world affairs.” The U.S. must take action to stop Israel’s attacks against the Palestinians and end its unlawful occupation. We have a legal obligation to comply with the ruling of the International Court of Justice and the United Nations. We either abide by the rule of law or we live by the law of the jungle. Israel can no longer be the exception.
Senator Bernie Sanders and several colleagues have introduced a Joint Resolution of Disapproval (JRD) to prohibit President Biden’s $20 billion arms sales to Israel. The United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands and most recently France have taken similar steps to stop the flow of weapons to Israel. United Nations bodies and numerous humanitarian organizations have called for an end to the arms shipments fueling the conflict.
Senators Heinrich and Lujan should approve the JRD. The U.S. must impose a full arms embargo on Israel, halting all arms agreements, imports, exports and transfers, including of dual-use items that could be used against the Palestinian population under occupation. Congress should also rescind legislation and policies that criminalize and penalize advocacy in support of Palestinian rights to self-determination and non-violent opposition to Israel’s occupation and apartheid, including support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.
Sadly, this past year has revealed the failures and weak moral compass of many of our elected officials. They could have used their leverage to demand an arms embargo many months ago and saved thousands of lives. Will they have the mettle to demand an end to U.S. complicity in this genocide now?
Submitted as Commentary
This column was submitted as a letter to the editor by the listed author. Publishing does not imply endorsement by The Paper or its staff. Submit yours at editor@abq.news
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