Washington, DC, Oct. 22, 2024 — Today, 111 organizations wrote to members of the US Senate urging them to vote for resolutions to suspend several arms transfers to Israel in light of repeated apparent violations of international and US law and policy.

The letter, led by Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) and Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), noted that the resolutions “would block certain sales of joint direct attack munitions (JDAMs) and tank shells, which the Israeli military has repeatedly used in attacks that have killed civilians in densely populated areas.”

“Continued arms transfers to the Israeli government are contrary to US law and the Biden administration’s own arms transfer policy, which include restrictions on arms transfers to any country based on human rights, international humanitarian law, and humanitarian assistance criteria,” the groups wrote. “The Senate will soon have the opportunity to demonstrate that it opposes further suffering and stands for the rule of law and the protection of civilians by supporting the joint resolutions of disapproval introduced on September 25. We endorse Senator Sanders, Welch, and Merkley’s resolutions and urge all Senators to cosponsor and vote in favor of their passage.”

Download a PDF of the letter Hier.

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October 22, 2024

Dear Senators,

We, the undersigned organizations, urge you to cosponsor and vote in favor of the four joint resolutions of disapproval introduced by Senators Sanders, Welch, and Merkley regarding several specific major arms sales to the government of Israel.

The joint resolutions of disapproval would suspend particular transfers of types of weapons that the Israeli government has used in strikes that have killed thousands of civilians, including aid workers and journalists, in Gaza over the last year. Independent human rights and conflict monitors have thoroughly documented the Israeli military’s use of weapons from the United States in attacks that have killed Palestinian civilians. President Biden has described Israeli government attacks as “indiscriminate.” The joint resolutions of disapproval would block certain sales of joint direct attack munitions (JDAMs) and tank shells, which the Israeli military has repeatedly used in attacks that have killed civilians in densely populated areas. The resolutions do not implicate missile defense systems.

Israeli military attacks have killed more than 40,000 Palestinians and decimated Gaza’s Krankenhäuser, Schulen, kritische Infrastruktur, Und Wohnen. Human rights organizations have concluded that the Israeli military has repeatedly violated international humanitarian law. Humanitarian groups have stressed that Israeli forces continue to restrict the delivery of humanitarian aid as hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are on the precipice of starvation and suffering from the spread of deadly diseases, including polio. 

As part of a larger escalation in Lebanon, the Israeli military has invaded South Lebanon and is carrying out airstrikes around the country, including in densely populated areas of central Beirut. These strikes have put civilians at grave risk and have killed over 2,000 people, zerstört critical infrastructure, and verdrängt 1.2 million people. According to human rights organizations, these operations have enthalten ersichtlich Verstöße of international humanitarian law.

Continued arms transfers to the Israeli government are contrary to U.S. law and the Biden administration’s own arms transfer policy, which include restrictions on arms transfers to any country based on human rights, international humanitarian law, and humanitarian assistance criteria. For example, U.S. law prohibits military aid to governments that restrict the delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance. As demonstrated by the National Security Memorandum 20 process, the Biden administration has not complied with these standards.

The Senate will soon have the opportunity to demonstrate that it opposes further suffering and stands for the rule of law and the protection of civilians by supporting the joint resolutions of disapproval introduced on September 25. We endorse Senator Sanders, Welch, and Merkley’s resolutions and urge all Senators to cosponsor and vote in favor of their passage.

Unterzeichnet,

Kehrtwende: Veteranen gegen den Krieg

ActionAid USA

Action Corps

Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Mankind

Alliance of Baptists

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)

American Baptist Churches USA

American Friends Service Committee

Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action)

Amnesty International USA

Arab American Institute (AAI)

Rüstungskontrollvereinigung

Association of US Catholic Priests

Australian Centre for International Justice 

Australia Palestine Advocacy Network

Avaaz

Bridges Faith Initiative

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Zentrum für Zivilisten in Konflikten (CIVIC)

Zentrum für Verfassungsrechte

Center for Economic and Policy Research

Center for International Policy

Zentrum für jüdische Gewaltlosigkeit

Zentrum für Folteropfer

Charity & Security Network

Children Not Numbers

Kirche der Brüder, Büro für Friedensförderung und Politik

CODEPINK

CommonDefense.us

Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes

Control Arms

DAWN

Fortschritt fordern

Democratic Socialists of America

Doctors Against Genocide

Doctors of the World

Emgage Action

Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Amerika (ELCA)

Faith Strategies

Franciscan Action Network

Freedom Forward 

Freundeskomitee für nationale Gesetzgebung

Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)

Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ

Hindus for Human Rights

Human Rights Watch

HuMENA für Menschenrechte und bürgerschaftliches Engagement

IfNotNow-Bewegung

Indivisible

Institute for Policy Studies, New Internationalism Project

Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Jewish Voice for Peace Action

Gerechte Außenpolitik

Justice Democrats

Law For Palestine 

Leadership Team of the Felician Sisters of North America

Legacies of War 

MADRE

Maryknoll-Büro für globale Belange 

Medglobal 

Medical Mission Sisters, Justice Office

MENA Rights Group

Mennonite Action

Mennonite Central Committee U.S.

Middle East Children's Alliance

Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC)

Migrant Roots Media

MPower Change Action Fund 

Muslim Peace Fellowship

National Council of Churches

National Iranian American Council Action

Nonviolence International (USA)

Gewaltfreie Friedensbewegung

Oxfam Amerika

PAX

Pax Christi USA

Friedensaktion

Peace Direct

Presbyterianische Kirche (USA), Büro für öffentliches Zeugnis

Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)

Quincy-Institut für verantwortungsvolle Staatskunst

Quixote Center

Refugees International

Außenpolitik neu denken

RootsAction.org

Saferworld (US)

Familien der Opfer des 11. September für eine friedliche Zukunft

Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Institute Justice Team

Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross 

Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace

Society of Helpers

The Borgen Project

Die Episkopalkirche

The Human Dignity Project (THDP)

The Religious Nationalisms Project

Das Tahrir-Institut für Nahostpolitik (TIMEP)

The United Church of Christ

The United Methodist Church — General Board of Church and Society

Transnational Institute

Uncommitted National Movement

​​United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network

United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR)

United We Dream

US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action (USCPR Action)

Washington Report on Middle East Affairs 

Sieg ohne Krieg

Frauen für Transparenz im Waffenhandel

Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER)

Working Families Party

Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation  

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