1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

On May 15th, 1948, the Nakba (The Catastrophe) commemorates the ethnic cleansing of approximately 750,000 Palestinian refugees were forced out of their homes and land in historic Palestine when Israel was created. This was a culmination of the political and religious movement, Zionism, which was founded by Theodor Herzl in 1897 with the goal to ethnically cleanse Palestine to forcibly establish a Jewish religious ethno-state via settler colonialism. Herzl wrote in his diary in 1895 referring to Palestinians, "We shall try to spirit the penniless population across the border by procuring employment for it in the transit countries, while denying it any employment in our own country." David Ben-Gurion, the first prime minister of Israel, expressed this desire explicitly multiple times. He wrote in a letter in speaking on how to go about establishing a Jewish religious ethno-state that, "We must expel Arabs and take their places." While scholars contest the content of multiple letters similarly written, taken as a collective with statements by other major Zionist leaders, it's incredibly clear what the intention of Israel always has been. So today, May 15th, 2024, we are witnessing the culmination of unchecked settler-colonial violence against an indigenous population with the aim to ethnically cleanse the rest of Palestine to take the land. This is being done by any means Israel has deemed necessary - including outright acts of genocide. And you're supporting it. You're funding it. You are actively participating in it. You can still stop this from getting even worse. I beg you to do the right thing and stop the Nakba from continuing. I demand that you:  – Hold Israel accountable for a permanent, immediate ceasefire, their violations of the Genocide Convention, and gross human rights violations by any means necessary – Call for the immediate end of Israel’s occupation and apartheid and support Palestinians in their fight for freedom and peace – Secure the immediate release and safety of all Palestinians who have been abducted and held captive by Israel, including those whose indefinite detention began prior to 10/7 – Permanently end all monetary, diplomatic, and military aid given to Israel and enforce Leahy Law – Reallocate all funds given to Israel and commit additional resources for ongoing humanitarian relief for Palestinians starting with immediately resuming funding of UNRWA – Immediately withdraw all U.S. troops, military assets, and all other assets deployed throughout the Middle East and cease all actions that further escalate a larger regional conflict – Pass legislation that voids all anti-BDS laws at the federal level – Vote no on H.R. 7521 and any similar legislation proposed