- United States
- N.Y.
- Letter
The recent escalation of violence in Gaza has resulted in immense tragedy and suffering, with thousands of Palestinian lives lost, many of them women and children. As American taxpayers providing significant military aid to Israel, we have a moral obligation to ensure our weapons are not being used in violation of international laws or human rights norms. While the Biden administration's report did not formally conclude Israel violated the terms of the weapons agreements, it is sharply critical of Israel's actions. This underscores the grave concerns over the disproportionate civilian casualties and destruction caused by Israeli strikes in Gaza. We cannot turn a blind eye to potential violations of the laws of armed conflict. It is imperative that the United States leverage its position as Israel's closest ally to demand an immediate cessation of hostilities and facilitate negotiations towards a just and lasting peace. Continuing to provide offensive weaponry without stringent conditions enables further escalation and loss of innocent lives. Our values as a nation committed to human rights must take precedence over military partnerships that facilitate such devastation. The deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians, including numerous children, should shock the conscience of every American. We call on our government to suspend arms transfers to Israel until there are credible guarantees they will not be used to perpetuate this cycle of violence and civilian suffering in Gaza. Lasting peace requires upholding international humanitarian law and addressing the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through diplomacy and justice, not escalating military force.
