Ask members of U.S. Congress to sponsor H.R. 2590 to stop *our* tax dollars from killing children, attacking places of worship, and violating international law

Last month, Israel gassed, stunned, and shot at religious worshippers at the third holiest site in Islam, Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, during the most holy time of Ramadan.  Israel also bombed residential complexes, medical centers, refugee buildings, media offices, and water, sanitation, and electrical infrastructure in Gaza, killing over 200 Palestinians (including over 60 children), injuring over 1,900, and displacing over 75,000.  The psychological harm, especially to children (42% of the population of Gaza is under 15 years old), is incalculable.  And despite the ongoing pandemic, Israel has restricted the entry of vaccines into Gaza, has damaged the only testing lab, and killed the doctor who oversaw Gaza’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.  The wanton destruction of Gaza is on a scale that has shocked the world.

Israel receives $3.8 Billion in aid from the United States every year.  That is over $10 Million per day!

In April 2021, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN-4) introduced the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act [H.R. 2590].  McCollum’s legislation “prohibits Israel from using U.S. taxpayer dollars in the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem for: the military detention, abuse, or ill-treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention; to support the seizure and destruction of Palestinian property and homes in violation of international humanitarian law; or, to extend any assistance or support for Israel’s unilateral annexation of Palestinian territory in violation of international humanitarian law.”  (McCollum Press Release, https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-introduces-historic-legislation-defending-human-rights-palestinian).

Americans of conscience cannot allow another dollar of our taxes to fund the seizing and destruction of Palestinian homes and property, killing and maiming of children, attacks on places of worship, or violations of basic human rights.  Such acts were called out as crimes of apartheid by Human Rights Watch (https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/04/27/abusive-israeli-policies-constitute-crimes-apartheid-persecution) earlier this year, and the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem (https://www.btselem.org/apartheid), among others.  

We, the undersigned organizations, oppose oppression and violence, and support peace, safety, and justice for all.  We have stood up against anti-Black and anti-Asian hate, against racism and prejudice, and against antisemitism and Islamophobia – and will continue to do so.  We understand how different forms of injustice are interconnected, even globally.  And we stand in solidarity in strongly urging Members of Congress, including our Washington delegation, to join Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in co-sponsoring H.R. 2590, because “we love the Jewish child and the Palestinian child” (Rev. William Barber II, https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/289711-reverend-brings-dem-house-down-with-israel-palestine-plea ).  We further call on the Biden administration to make sure no additional funding or weapons are provided to Israel until it stops violating international law.  We ask those who champion liberty, freedom, and justice to join us by contacting their Members of Congress today.  It is well past the “Time To Break the Silence on Palestine” (Michelle Alexander, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/19/opinion/sunday/martin-luther-king-palestine-israel.html).

CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY AND ASK THEM TO SPONSOR H.R. 2590

https://www.congress.gov/members

Add your organization or sign on individually to endorse this statement here:  www.tinyurl.com/StatementRePalestine 

#SaveSheikhJarrah #Gaza   #Palestine  #HR2590

Paid for by:  MAPS-AMEN (American Muslim Empowerment Network), www.mapsredmond.org/amen, [email protected]  

SIGNED BY:

1. 350 Seattle
2. AbuBakr Islamic Center Of Washington
3. Access to Our Community
4. Activist Class
5. African-American Muslim Leaders’ Coalition
6. Ambedkar International Center
7. API Chaya
8. Asian Counseling and Referral Service
9. Bethany United Church of Christ, Seattle
10. Bishop’s Committee for Justice and Peace in the Holy Land (Episcopal Diocese of Olympia)
11. Black Lives Matter Seattle King County
12. CAIR-WA
13. Cham Refugee Community
14. Coalition of Anti-Racist Whites
15. Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans
16. Colectiva Legal del Pueblo
17. Decriminalize Seattle
18. DivestSPD
19. Elevate Mason County
20. Empower
21. End the Deadly Exchange Seattle
22. Falastiniyat
23. Farmer Frog
24. Free Them All
25. Freedom Socialist Party
26. Global Social Business Partners
27. Hindus for Human Rights
28. Husaynia Islamic Society of Seattle
29. IfNotNow Seattle
30. India Association of Western Washington
31. Iraqi Community Center of Washington 
32. Islamic Center of Mukilteo
33. Islamic Center of Olympia
34. Jewish Voice for Peace — Seattle
35. Jewish Voice for Peace — Tacoma
36. John T. Williams Organizing Committee
37. Kadima Reconstructionist Community
38. Kairos Puget Sound Coalition
39. La Resistencia
40. Latino Advocacy
41. Modest Family Solutions
42. Muslim Association of Puget Sound
43. Muslim Forum of the Pacific Northwest
44. National Lawyers Guild, Seattle Chapter
45. Never Again Seattle
46. No New Washington Prisons
47. OneAmerica
48. OneAmerica Votes Muslim Committee
49. Palestine Solidarity Committee — Seattle
50. Palestine Teaching Trunk
51. Plymouth Church, Seattle:  United Church of Christ
52. Puget Sound Sage
53. Pullman Islamic Association
54. Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice
55. Radical Women
56. Real Change
57. Redmond United Methodist Church
58. Salaam Cultural Museum
59. Seattle Democratic Socialists of America
60. Seattle Indivisible
61. Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign
62. Seattle Womxn Marching Forward
63. Social Justice Fund
64. Socialist Alternative
65. Somali Health Board
66. South Asian Americans Together Washington
67. Support for the Palestinian Voice
68. UAW 4121
69. Valley and Mountain Fellowship
70. Veterans for Peace (Lewis, Mason, Thurston & Grays Harbor Counties)
71. Veterans For Peace, Spokane Chapter #35
72. Voices for Palestine
73. WA Advocates for Palestinian Rights
74. Washington Community Alliance 
75. Washington For Black Lives
76. Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network
77. WA State Poor People’s Campaign
78. Whatcom Peace & Justice Center
79. White Center Community Development Association
80. Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation

Contact:
Aneelah Afzali
MAPS-AMEN (American Muslim Empowerment Network)
[email protected]

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