United Sates Politicians
Updated 2024-07-30
See also Biden, Joe President and Biden – Geocide Joe
Ralph Nader Letters to Political Leaders https://nader.org/blog/
Ceasefire Now Ongoing List (As of March 7) 76/536 Members of Congress fully support a ceasefire or cessation of hostilities* 76 Democrats 0 Republicans 0 Independents
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 30,500 Palestinians, including more than 13,000 children, and injured more than 71,000 since October 7th. The only way to end this current conflict that is threatening to grow across the Middle East is with diplomatic solutions. The violence must stop, hostages must be freed, innocent captives must be released, and humanitarian aid must flow freely. Ceasefire now! https://ceasefireaction.com/
2024-05-06 Sanders Says US Must ‘End All Offensive Military Aid’ as Israel Targets Rafah As Israel rejected a cease-fire deal that Hamas had accepted Monday, dashing the hopes of civilianstrapped in the southern Gaza city of Rafah that an invasion could be averted, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders called on the Biden administration to stop the looming attack that humanitarian and rights organizations have been warning against for months.
The Vermont independent senator said President Joe Biden must follow through on his call for Israel to protect civilian lives by forgoing a ground invasion of Rafah. In March Biden said the attack would be a “red line” unless Israel developed a credible plan to evacuate civilians, who include an estimated 600,000 children in the city.
To stop Israel from killing potentially hundreds of thousands of people in the city, where 1.4 million people are sheltering following Israel’s obliteration of cities across Gaza, the U.S. must “end all offensive military aid” to the country, Sanders said Monday. https://www.commondreams.org/news/bernie-sanders-2668176062
2024-05-06 GOP Senators Threaten ICC: ‘Target Israel and We Will Target You’ Just over a week before the International Criminal Court issued a statement condemning threats against the institution, a dozen Republicans in the U.S. Senate sent a letter to the ICC’s prosecutor warning him against pursuing charges against Israeli officials over war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip.
The letter, dated April 24 and reported exclusively by Zeteo on Monday, explicitly threatens U.S. retaliation against the ICC if it issues arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other top Israeli officials.
“Target Israel and we will target you,” reads the letter, which was led by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a notorious war hawk, and signed by 11 others, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). The letter specifically threatens to sanction ICC employees and associates and bar them and their families from entering the United States, which is not a party to the ICC.
“You have been warned,” states the letter, which invokes the American Service-Members’ Protection Act—a 2002 law informally known as “The Hague Invasion Act.” As Zeteo explained, the law “authorizes the U.S. president ‘to use all means necessary and appropriate’ to bring about the release not just of U.S. persons but also allies who are imprisoned or detained by the ICC.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/republican-senators-icc-israel
2024-05-01 57 House Dems Call On Biden to Prevent Israeli Assault on Rafah Dozens of U.S. House Democrats on Wednesday joined Congresswomen Pramila Jayapal and Madeleine Dean in pressuring President Joe Biden to prevent a full-scale Israeli assault on Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip that’s now full of over a million displaced Palestinians.
“We write with urgency to say: an offensive invasion into Rafah by Israel in the upcoming days is wholly unacceptable,” states the letter from Jayapal (D-Wash.), Dean (D-Pa.), and 55 other members of Congress. “We welcome your administration’s efforts to dissuade the Israeli government from this military operation, which would deepen both the humanitarian catastrophe for people in Gaza and the strategic challenges that regional and global stakeholders face in this conflict.”
“We now urge you to enforce U.S. law and policy by withholding certain offensive weaponry or other military support that can be used for an assault on Rafah, including the offensive weaponry and aid already signed into law,” the letter continues. https://www.commondreams.org/news/rafah-gaza-strip
2024-04-20 Historic Number of Democratic Reps Vote Against Unconditional Aid to Israel “Most Americans do not want our government to write a blank check to further Prime Minister Netanyahu’s war in Gaza,” a group of nearly 20 of the 37 no-voting lawmakers said. Nearly 40 House Democrats voted against a measure to send around $26 billion more to Israel as it continues its war on Gaza that human rights experts have deemed a genocide.
While the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act passed the Republican-led House by a vote of 366-58, party insiders said it was significant that such a large number of Democrats had opposed it, with more centrist lawmakers joining progressives who have called for a cease-fire since October.
“Despite the weapons aid package passing, this is the largest number of Democratic lawmakers to vote against unrestricted weapons aid for Israel in recent memory,” senior Democratic strategist Waleed Shahid observed on social media. https://www.commondreams.org/news/historic-number-dems-vote-no-israel
2024-03-22 Just 22 House Dems Oppose Bill That Bars UNRWA Funding While Giving Billions to Israel The House of Representatives on Friday approved a sprawling government spending package that prohibits U.S. funding for the United Nations’ Palestinian refugee agency for at least a year and hands Israel billions of dollars in unconditional military assistance, even as the country massacres and starves Gaza civilians.
The 1,012-page legislation passed in a 286-134 vote, with 112 Republicans and just 22 Democrats opposing the bill. All but one of the bill’s Democratic opponents are members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC).
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the CPC, said in a statement after voting against the measure that she is “very concerned that this package continues funding for the Netanyahu government with no conditions, while at the same time prohibiting funding” for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) https://www.commondreams.org/news/us-house-unrwa-israel
Buried at the end of 1,012 pages of legislative text unveiled early Thursday is a section that says funds appropriated under the bipartisan bill “may not be used for a contribution, grant, or other payment” to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which Gazans rely on for food and shelter. The U.S. is historically the largest donor to UNRWA.
The proposed freeze would last through March 2025. Many Republican lawmakers are calling for a permanent end to U.S. funding for the agency, which has faced shortfalls since the Biden administration and other Western governments paused donations in late January following Israel’s unsubstantiated claims that UNRWA staffers took part in the Hamas-led October 7 attack on Israel. https://www.commondreams.org/news/starvation-caucus-unrwa
2024-03-17 Van Hollen Says Netanyahu Spreading ‘Flat Out Lies’ About UNRWA U.S. Senator for Maryland Chris Van Hollen continued his defense of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and its work in Gaza in an appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
“The claim that Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and others are making that somehow UNRWA is a proxy for Hamas are just flat out lies, that’s a flat out lie,” he told journalist Margaret Brennan.
The U.S. was one of many Western countries that paused funding for UNRWA after the agency announced in January that it had fired 12 staffers over Israeli allegations that they had been involved in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. However, some countries including Canada, Sweden, the European Union, and Australia have since restored funding. A report has also emerged that Israel tortured UNRWA staffers into falsely confessing to involvement in the Hamas attack. https://www.commondreams.org/news/van-hollen-netanyahu-lies-unrwa
2024-03-14 As Schumer Slams Netanyahu, Palestine Defenders Want ‘Action From Democrats, Not Words’ While welcoming remarks by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an obstacle to peace and hinting at a possible shift in policy if far-right extremists continue to run the Middle Eastern country, Palestine defenders on Thursday stressed the need for Democrats to push for the Biden administration to stop arming Israel’s genocide in Gaza. https://www.commondreams.org/news/chuck-schumer-israel
2024-03-12 Democratic Senators Urge Biden to Stop Arming Israel In a new letter, Bernie Sanders and several others in the Democratic Caucus are demanding Biden to suspend military aid to Israel. https://newrepublic.com/post/179764/bernie-sanders-democratic-senators-letter-biden-israel
2024-03-12 ‘That’s the Law’: Senators Say Biden Must End Arms Sales If Israel Keeps Blocking Aid A group of senators said Tuesday that under U.S. law, the Biden administration must cut off American military assistance to Israel unless the Netanyahu government immediately stops impeding aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, where children are dying of starvation after months of incessant Israeli bombing and attacks on humanitarian convoys.
“The severe humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza is nearly unprecedented in modern history,” the eight senators—led by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)—wrote in a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden. “Your administration has repeatedly stated, and the United Nations and numerous aid organizations have confirmed, that Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian access, both at the border and within Gaza, are one of the primary causes of this humanitarian catastrophe.”
The senators argued that the Israeli government’s systematic obstruction of aid deliveries violates U.S. law, pointing specifically to Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The law states that “no assistance shall be furnished… to any country when it is made known to the president that the government of such country prohibits or otherwise restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance.”
Biden administration officials have admitted that Israel is impeding aid deliveries to desperate Gazans. But when asked last week whether Israel’s actions amount to a “breach” of the Foreign Assistance Act, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said he would “have to go back and look at the language of that text.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/senators-biden-israel-aid
2024-03-11 Support for Gaza War Must End, Says Sanders, But Biden-Trump Choice Is ‘Day and Night’ Sen. Bernie Sanders said Sunday that the contrast between President Joe Biden and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump could not be more stark even as the Vermont senator offered a sharp criticism of the incumbent’s support for Israel’s devastating war on Gaza, which is now in its sixth month with no end in sight.
Asked about the backing that “uncommitted” campaigns have gained across multiple states—a sign of the broad unpopularity of Biden’s approach to the war—Sanders told “Face the Nation” that “the fight continues to change Biden’s policy in Gaza,” where children are dying of starvation as the U.S.-armed Israeli military attacks and impedes aid deliveries.
“But the contrast between Biden and Trump is day and night,” the Independent senator added, pointing to differences between the two candidates on climate, abortion rights, voting rights, and other issues. “The election of Trump would be a disaster for this country and, in my view, the world. We’ve got to come together, reelect Biden. But, at the same time, we have to demand that we have a progressive agenda, where we have an economy that works for all, not just a few.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/sanders-gaza-trump
2024-03-07 House Democrat Accuses GOP Colleague of ‘Calling For Genocide’ Rep. Chuck Fleischmann is one of several Republican lawmakers who have openly called for genocide in Gaza in recent months.
U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, a Vermont Democrat, on Thursday said the latest rant by a Republican lawmaker about Israel’s ongoing U.S.-backed slaughter of civilians in Gaza should be recognized for what it is: “a member of Congress calling for the genocide of the Palestinian people.”
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) was confronted by campaigners with the anti-war group CodePink on Wednesday in a corridor at the U.S. Capitol where he repeatedly told them he “will never support” the Palestinians and “will support Israel forever.”
Last month, Rep. Andy Ogles, also of Tennessee, responded to an activist who told him: “I’ve seen the footage of shredded children’s bodies. That’s my taxpayer dollars that are going to bomb those kids.” “You know what? So, I think we should kill ’em all,” Ogles replied. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) also called for Israel to “level the place” in the first days of the bombardment of Gaza.
Refusal of the Democratic Party, particularly President Joe Biden, to stand firmly against Israel’s attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure and its blockade on humanitarian aid “is also teaching Republicans how much they can get away with.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/gop-genocide
“We, the undersigned parliamentarians, declare our commitment to end our nations’ arms sales to the state of Israel,” reads the statement, which was coordinated by Progressive International. “Our bombs and bullets must not be used to kill, maim, and dispossess Palestinians. But they are: We know that lethal weapons and their parts, made or shipped through our countries, currently aid the Israeli assault on Palestine that has claimed over 30,000 lives across Gaza and the West Bank.”
The statement’s signatories include legislators from Israel’s top allies and weapons suppliers, including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada. The statement includes six signatories from Germany, which is facing an International Court of Justice (ICJ) case alleging complicity in genocide against Palestinians. The lawmakers argued that an arms embargo on Israel is both “a moral necessity” and “a legal requirement,” given the ICJ’s interim ruling in late January. https://www.commondreams.org/news/lawmakers-arms-embargo-israel
2024-02-16 ‘History Is Watching’? You Bet It Is, Mr. President. “History is watching,” the president said after the Senate passed his $95.3 billion war bill by a vote of 70-29. He said it three times: “History is watching.” He’s right. Democrats should remember that before trying to use an obscure parliamentary procedure to force a vote on this bill in the House. The move, called a “discharge petition,” would almost certainly fail without support from House progressives. They have a moral obligation to withhold that support.
This bill, deceptively described as an “aid package,” slashesall future funding for the most important humanitarian aid group serving the people of Gaza. At the same time, it provides $14 billion in military aid (which its Democratic sponsors coyly call “security assistance”) to the armed forces that are killing them. Israel’s attack on Gaza isn’t “over the top”; it’s genocide.
When it comes to humanitarian aid, the bill’s only immediate impact will be to end all aid to the United Nations Relief and works Agency (UNRWA), which has received hundreds of millions of dollars from the United States in recent years. In return, the bill commits to replacing that assistance with … nothing. No guaranteed funding at all. That’s a moral travesty. https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/house-progressive-israel-aid-package
2024-02-16 Pelosi, Biden, and the Spectacular Solipsism of Our Nation’s Political Leaders Her recent outburst against opponents of Israel’s ongoing devastation of Gaza that has followed upon Hamas’s October assault left no doubt that—for better or worse, she’s still at it. What particularly raised eyebrows was her call for an FBI investigation into whether the people disrupting President Joe Biden’s speaking engagements by shouting out demands to support a Gaza ceasefire were funded by Russia. To wit: “What we have to do is try to stop the suffering in Gaza … But for them to call for a ceasefire is Mr. Putin’s message.”
Putin’s message is it? This is a spectacular level of obliviousness—for anyone, really, much less for someone who within the past two years ranked second in order of succession to the presidency of the United States. December 12, 2023 United Nations General Assembly vote calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the Israel-Hamas war, and in particular the 153–10 margin (with 23 abstentions) of its passage. So, were those153 countries delivering Putin’s message? NATO is currently reckoned as an explicitly anti-Putin alliance. So what to make of the fact that NATO’s member states backed the ceasefire resolution by a 20-2 margin (and 9 abstentions), with only the Czech Republic joining the U.S. in opposition? Is NATO too dominated by nations intent on delivering Putin’s message? https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/pelosi-biden-gaza-war
2024-02-14 Senate Letter to President Biden signed by 25 U.S. Senators Now 130 days since the October 7th massacre, two million Gazan civilians remain displaced in extreme danger and deprivation while hostages held by Hamas remain in life-threatening captivity. We therefore write to express our urgent support for your Administration’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages in tandem with a restored mutual ceasefire in Gaza. We recognize that such a diplomatic achievement will require the agreement of the warring parties, and that its terms remain under negotiation. In our judgment, it is in our urgent national interest – and the urgent humanitarian interest of millions of innocent civilians — that these negotiations succeed. We recognize that it is in Israel’s vital national interest that Hamas — a brutal terrorist organization — be removed from power in Gaza. We continue to support Israel’s pursuit of that objective. We also recognize that without a break in the fighting, humanitarian conditions for civilians in Gaza will become even more catastrophic and thousands more innocents — including many children — will die. Without an agreement that secures their release, the prospects are dim for the survival of hostages who remain alive. Without the space created for regional diplomacy by a restored ceasefire, the political conditions for durable peace and security will remain unreachable, and escalating regional conflict will continue to threaten U.S. national security. https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/24.02.14_Ossoff-and-Warnock-letter.pdf
2024-02-06 Author of debunked NYT ‘Hamas r@pe’ report to share stage with Hillary Clinton The reporter behind a discredited NY Times investigation alleging systematic sexual violence by Hamas on October 7 will appear alongside Hillary Clinton and key Biden foreign policy functionaries at a Columbia University event justifying Israel’s assault on Gaza.
Jeffrey Gettleman, the author of the New York Times’ discredited “Hamas mass rape” story, is set to share the stage with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in an upcoming panel on “conflict-related sexual violence” which will feature several other high-profile State Department functionaries.
A description of the event, hosted by Columbia University’s Institute of Global Politics, cites what it calls “Hamas’s brutal acts of sexual violence against Israelis on October 7” as “evidence” that “conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is used widely as a weapon of war and a tactic of terrorism.” https://thegrayzone.com/2024/02/06/nyt-hamas-report-hillary-clinton/
2024-02-05 Senate Deal Would Block All Funding to UNRWA as Gazans Starve As the United Nations warned Monday that at least a quarter of civilians in Gaza are suffering from “catastrophic” food insecurity and the collapse of the healthcare system is causing disease to spread, the U.S. Senate doubled down on cutting funding for the U.N.’s top humanitarian agency serving Palestinians by including in a bipartisan package a provision that would block aid for the body. The proposed $118 billion Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, chiefly negotiated by Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) includes $14.1 billion for Israel, which has killed at least 27,468 Palestinians in Gaza and at least 360 in the West Bank since beginning its assault on the occupied territories in October.
But a provision notes that none of the $10 billion in humanitarian assistance for Palestinians and Ukrainians “may be made available for a contribution, grant, or other payment” to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Just after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said in an interim ruling late last month that South Africa’s claim that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza is “plausible,” Israel announced it had discovered that 12 of the agency’s 13,000 employees in Palestine had been involved in the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7.https://www.commondreams.org/news/senate-deal-unrwa
2024-02-05 As Senators Unveil Aid Bill, Sanders Says Stop Fueling the ‘Netanyahu War Machine’ Sen. Bernie Sanders said Sunday that the U.S. must stop fueling the Netanyahu government’s assault on the Gaza Strip as senators unveiled legislation that would provide more than $14 billion in aid to Israel, which has waged its monthslong war on the Palestinian territory with massive American-made bombs, artillery shells, and other destructive munitions.
“This is not JUST about 27,000 Palestinians killed and 67,000 wounded—two-thirds of whom are women and children,” Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a statement. “This is not JUST about 70% of the housing units in Gaza being destroyed or damaged. This is not JUST about 1.7 million people driven from their homes. This is not JUST about hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children starving to death. This is also about our credibility in the international community and what this country stands for.”
“This is also about our credibility in the international community and what this country stands for,” the senator continued. “If we continue to fund [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s indiscriminate war, how can we, with a straight face, criticize [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine as a war crime? How can we criticize China, Saudi Arabia, and other countries for their many violations of human rights? Who in the world will not see through the hypocrisy?” https://www.commondreams.org/news/sanders-netanyahu-israel
2024-01-29 Ocasio-Cortez: US Should Restore UNRWA Funding ‘Immediately’ “Cutting off support to UNRWA—the primary source of humanitarian aid to 2 million+ Gazans—is unacceptable,” Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) wrote on social media. “Among an organization of 13,000 U.N. aid workers, risking the starvation of millions over grave allegations of 12 is indefensible. The U.S. should restore aid immediately.”
The U.S. State Department announced last week that it would temporarily pause any additional funding for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East as it reviews Israel’s allegations that a dozen of the agency’s employees were involved in Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel. Several countries have followed the U.S. in suspending aid to the UNRWA, including Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan, putting the agency’s critical operations in Gaza at risk of total collapse.
Observers noted that the U.S. and other Israel allies were quick to suspend aid to the UNRWA but have refused to cut off military assistance to the Israeli government despite the overwhelming evidence that it is committing war crimes in Gaza. https://www.commondreams.org/news/ocasio-cortez-unrwa
2024-01-22 Give AIPAC The Finger AIPAC and its allies funnel Republican and (illegally) Israeli money into Democratic primaries to defeat progressives. Last cycle they spent millions of dollars to replace Andy Levin (D-MI) and Marie Newman (D-IL) with more conservative candidates. At the same time, they financed conservative candidates against Donna Edwards (MD), Christina Garcia (CA)— elected a lifelong Republican masquerading as a Democrat in a heavily blue district— Nina Turner (OH), Jessica Cisneros (TX), Daniel Lee (CA), Erica Smith (NC), Nida Allam (NC), Angelica Duenas (CA), Summer Lee (PA) and others. The only candidate on that list who prevailed was Summer Lee. And this year, AIPAC is back for another attempt to defeat her.
In fact, AIPAC is boasting that it and its allies will spend $100 million against progressives this year. In immediate danger are the progressives on this page: Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Angelica Duenas (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Pervez Agwan (D-TX), Cori Bush (D-MO) and, as we mentioned, Summer Lee.
AIPAC has been doing this for a very long time, although only recently with money from Republican billionaires. In the past they financed defeats for Democrats who didn’t tow the Likud line, like Cynthia McKinney (GA) and Earl Hillard (AL).
former Ohio state Senator Nina Turner told us that “The pouring in of millions of dollars of dark money from AIPAC and DMFI completely suffocated the voices of the voters in Ohio 11th Congressional District on 2021 and 2022. Moreover, the targeting of Black progressive leaders using more centrist Black candidates as cover is deeply disturbing and has layers of anti-Black racism.
Former Congresswoman Marie Newman had a similar perspective: “More than anything else I’m deeply concerned about how AIPAC, Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) and their 20 affiliate PACs are putting a huge wedge in the Democratic Party, particularly in the House. Those groups are desperate to have all members be conservative or centrist, so they can control them and their votes. In the last 3 months I’ve talked to several Members of Congress who live in absolute fear of AIPAC and DMFI working against them or primarying them.
Ultimately, their bullying of members and donors is starting to backfire. Voters now know who they are and their vile tactics. I believe that this now will work against AIPAC/DMFI/affiliate candidates. https://crooksandliars.com/2024/01/give-aipac-finger
2024-01-09 On Gaza, Most Congress Members Have Been Moral Failures. Don’t Grade Them on a Curve The vast majority of Congress members have refused to call for a ceasefire in Gaza during three months of slaughter by Israel’s military. Capitol Hill remains a friendly place for the Israeli government as it keeps receiving massive arms shipments courtesy of U.S. taxpayers. “Israel would not be able to conduct this war without the U.S., which over time has provided Israel with about 80 percent of the country’s weapons imports,” Vox reports. The distance between the Capitol and Gaza can be measured by the vast disconnect between the standard discourse of U.S. politics and the terroristic carnage destroying Palestinian people. The human toll includes upward of 22,000 dead, more than 85 percent of Gaza’s 2.2 million population displaced, and the emerging lethal combination of hunger and disease that could kill several hundred thousand more.
The impunity enjoyed by Israeli leaders is enabled by President Biden, who clearly does not want a ceasefire. The same can be said of the vast majority of Congress, with silences and equivocations if not outright zeal to voice support for the wholesale killing of civilians in the name of Israel’s “right to defend itself.” Members of Congress, now providing such easy rhetoric in public statements to justify huge and ongoing military support to Israel, would not be so complacent if they had to dig their own dead children out of rubble.
Seventeen members of the House stepped forward in mid-October to sign on as cosponsors of the ceasefire resolution introduced by Congresswoman Cori Bush, “calling for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.” The number of those forthright representatives has not risen during the 11 weeks since then. https://freepress.org/article/gaza-most-congress-members-have-been-moral-failures-don%E2%80%99t-grade-them-curve
2023-12-19 Jewish Groups Line Up In Support Of Biden’s Muslim Court Pick Assailed By GOP Fifteen Jewish organizations on Tuesday pledged their “strong support” for President Joe Biden’s historic Muslim court pick Adeel Mangi ― days after Republican senators subjected him to hostile and Islamophobic questioning in his confirmation hearing.
“Having ethical and unbiased judges is ingrained in our Jewish teachings in which we are taught that ‘judges need to be people of strength through good deeds,’” reads the groups’ letter to all 100 senators, obtained by HuffPost. “It is clear to us that Adeel A. Mangi is a person of strength and good deeds, as evidenced by his career, devotion to his community, and commitment to religious freedom and civil rights.” The letter is signed by the National Council of Jewish Women, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Carolina Jews for Justice, The Shalom Center, and others. The groups collectively represent more than a million people nationwide. The Jewish groups’ letter comes after Mangi, who is a partner at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, endured a series of offensive and irrelevant questions from Republicans in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
GOP Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas), Tom Cotton (Ark.) and Josh Hawley (Mo.) yelled at and interrupted Mangi throughout his hearing. They demanded that he share his personal views on the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Oct. 7 attack in Israel and the Israeli-Hamas conflict in general. They also repeatedly tried to tie him to pro-Palestinian comments made by people he didn’t know, and to events he didn’t know about.
On Friday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim civil rights organization in the country, condemned all three Republican senators for their behavior. “Singling out a Muslim judicial nominee and forcing him to answer ‘gotcha questions’ about the Middle East simply because of faith or because of his tangential connections to Muslims who comment on the Middle East is Islamophobic and un-American,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, CAIR’s national deputy director. “So is raising the hateful trope that presumptively assumes that Muslims are antisemitic.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/jewish-groups-line-up-in-support-of-biden-s-muslim-court-pick-assailed-by-gop/ar-AA1lLelV
2023-12-19 Republican Michelle Bachman Says She Wants To WIPE OUT Gaza Former Congresswoman and right-winger Michele Bachmann said she wants Gazans wiped off the map. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian discuss on The Young Turks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2RmWKLWEL4
2023-12-15 Warren Demands Facebook-Instagram Explain Censorship of Pro-Palestinian Content “It is more important than ever that social media platforms do not censor truthful and legitimate content, particularly as people around the world turn to online communities to share and find information.” The senator is seeking clarification regarding documented occurrences on Facebook and Instagram of censorship of pro-Palestinian content, labeling the Palestinian flag as “potentially offensive,” and translating the words “Palestinian” and “Alhamdulilah”—Arabic for “praise be to God”—as “Palestinian terrorist.”
Progressive U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Thursday sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding answers to questions about the Facebook and Instagram parent company’s alleged suppression of pro-Palestinian content during the ongoing Israeli obliteration of Gaza. “Over 90 human rights and civil society organizations have raised alarm about Meta’s reported suppression, filtering, and mistranslation of Palestine-related content over the past two months, calling on the company to provide additional transparency as to content moderation and to address discriminatory algorithmic design,” Warren (D-Mass.) wrote.
“Even more concerning, Meta reportedly manipulated its content filters to apply stricter standards to content generated in Palestine compared to the standards in place in the rest of the region and the world,” Warren noted. https://www.commondreams.org/news/facebook-censorship
2023-12-13 These 125 Democrats voted against a resolution declaring that the presidents of Harvard and MIT should resign after recent antisemitism testimony The resolution, which essentially calls for the presidents of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to resign, was ultimately opposed by 125 House Democrats — a strong majority of the caucus. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who has voted against multiple pro-Israel resolutions in recent weeks, also voted no. Meanwhile, three House Democrats voted present: Reps. Julia Brownley and Jimmy Gomez of California, and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania. It’s the latest contentious resolution to hit the House floor since the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack, coming in the wake of a resolution affirming support for Israel, a resolution affirming the Jewish state’s right to exist, and a resolution equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/these-125-democrats-voted-against-a-resolution-declaring-that-the-presidents-of-harvard-and-mit-should-resign-after-recent-antisemitism-testimony/ar-AA1lsTam
2023-12-09 The Endless Dropping of Bombs Is Sabotaging Humanity’s Ability to Evolve Will we be able to overcome the wreckage we are inflicting on ourselves? The game of war is beyond human control! We’re spectators at our own demise.
As Dennis Kucinich put it in a recent interview with Chris Hedges: “We have almost a closed-loop system that guarantees that we will continue to go to war. There is no counterbalance for diplomacy or peace. That doesn’t exist.” War, in other words, does nothing but create the certainty of more war. And peace is no more than an occasional pause as the combatants reload. And there’s no official questioning of this world —certainly not by Congress, certainly not by the media. “So there’s very little deep thinking that goes on,” Kucinich added. https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/war-evolution-bombing
2023-12-03 Jayapal calls for Middle East coalition to bring peace in Gaza, take out Hamas Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) on Sunday called for a coalition including the United States, Israel and Arab countries to bring about the demise of Hamas, while also ensuring long-term stability in the region.
In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Jayapal reiterated her call for a cease-fire and denied the suggestion it would lead to keeping “that brutal terrorist regime in place in Gaza.” “I don’t think that’s true. I think that what is true is that Hamas needs to be taken out. It is a terrorist organization,” Jayapal said. “But I think the way to do that — as many terrorism experts have said — is to create a durable and strong coalition of allies within the Middle East, with the United States, with Israel, to make sure that we have a long-term political solution, that there is an alternative to Hamas to lead in Gaza and to establish a state for Palestinians.” Jayapal condemned Hamas but pointed to Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” in Gaza as what’s hampering progress to a long-term solution https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/jayapal-calls-for-middle-east-coalition-to-bring-peace-in-gaza-take-out-hamas/ar-AA1kVrgK?
2023-11-28 Just 2 House members did not vote in favor of a resolution affirming Israel’s right to exist The House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a resolution affirming Israel’s right to exist, and only two members did not vote in favor of it. Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the sole Palestinian American in Congress, voted “present,” while Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky voted against it. Introduced by Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, the resolution affirms a variety of widely accepted facts about Israel and the Jewish people, including the atrocity of the Holocaust and the history of persecution of Jews. However, the resolution made no mention of Palestinians — who have their own historical claims in the region — even as it stated that Jewish people are “native to the Land of Israel.”https://www.businessinsider.com/which-house-members-vote-against-present-resolution-israel-right-exist-2023-11
2023-11-21 Becca Balint, First Jewish Congressmember to Back Ceasefire, Expresses Support for Rashida Tlaib Dozens of members of Congress are now calling for a ceasefire or cessation of hostilities in Israel and occupied Palestine. We speak to Democratic Congressmember Becca Balint of Vermont, the first Jewish member of Congress to join these calls. “The horrific violence has to stop. Hostages must be released. We have to end the suffering in Gaza. Palestinians and Israelis both deserve safety and security. And now more than ever, I believe that we need a true, negotiated ceasefire to get to a two-state solution,” Balint says of her position. We also discuss her friendship with fellow Democratic congressmember and the only Palestinian American in Congress, Rashida Tlaib. https://www.democracynow.org/2023/11/21/becca_balint_gaza_israel_ceasefire
2023-11-10 Tulsi Gabbard Switches Anti-War Stance To Justify Israeli War Crimes! During the 2016 presidential election, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard emerged as a uniquely principled voice, criticizing the Clinton campaign and the DNC for icing Bernie Sanders out of the party’s nomination and for criticizing the U.S. war in Syria. So it comes as a terrible disappointment to hear Gabbard buying into the propaganda and spreading war machine talking points about Israel and the war on Gaza. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhg8OBz0zLQ
2023-11-20 Merkley Just Second US Senator to Demand Gaza Cease-Fire U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley on Monday became just the second member of the Senate to demand a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, over six weeks into Israel’s brutal bombardment and ground operations that have killed over 13,000 Palestinians, including 5,500 children.
The Oregon Democrat’s move, which he explained in a lengthy post on Medium, follows a cease-fire call from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the number two Senate Democrat, earlier this month, and demands from a couple dozen Democratic House members.
Merkley, who first visited Israel in 1978, wrote that by his fifth visit earlier this year, “far-right extremists were now helping to drive Israeli government policy,” with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu having “formed a government with Bezalel Smotrich as minister of finance and Itamar Ben-Gvir as minister of national security.”
“Under such a government, attacks by Israel’s settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank have become more frequent and violent, often condoned by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF),” he pointed out. “Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority (PA), which had worked closely with the IDF to prevent violence by Palestinians, was losing its legitimacy.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/jeff-merkley-gaza-ceasefire
2023-11-19 California Democrats are divided on Senate race, Gaza war None of the leading candidates — Reps. Lee, Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and tech executive Lexi Reese — reached the 60% threshold needed, according to results ratified today. Still, Lee led with 41% — far more than her third-place standing among Democrats in recent polls — while Schiff had 40% of delegate votes and Porter received 16%.
But her show of support was overshadowed by hundreds of demonstrators both inside and outside the convention hall, who chanted “Ceasefire Now,” waved Palestinian flags and disrupted the proceedings. They drowned out the remarks of Schiff and Porter, shut down Reese’s speech and compelled party officials to cancel all Saturday night events and step up security for today.
In his opening statement this morning, party Chairperson Rusty Hicks called the protest “unacceptable” and vowed to hold accountable any delegates who violated the party’s code of conduct. “Antisemitism and Islamophobia has no place in our party or in our communities,” he said. “We condemn acts of violence that bring harm to our neighbors and divide us from one another, both here at home and abroad.” https://calmatters.org/politics/2023/11/california-senate-democrats/
2023-11-17 Hillary Clinton Is Lying About the History Between Hamas and Israel Hillary writes in The Atlantic, that “the only way to ensure Israel’s future as a secure, democratic, Jewish state is by achieving two states for two peoples. … There is no other choice.” She repeatedly claims that it’s been Palestinians who have stood in the way of any kind of permanent peace. She cannot acknowledge, however, the historical events that have led to the present situation, which clearly show that the primary obstacle to a two-state solution is not any Palestinian faction: It’s the government of Israel.
Israel had, in collaboration with Egypt, imposed a brutal blockade on Gaza since 2007. Blockades are arguably acts of war, and one place you can find it argued is on the website of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The blockade is by definition an act of war, imposed and enforced through violence. Never in history have blockade and peace existed side by side.”
In the years leading up to Operation Pillar of Defense, Hamas leaders said over and over that they were willing, at a minimum, to accept a long-term truce with Israel. Even the U.S. Institute for Peace, a think tank funded by federal government, acknowledged that Hamas had “sent repeated signals that it may be ready to begin a process of coexisting with Israel.” This did not interest the Israeli government. On November 14, 2012, Israel assassinated Ahmed Jabari, the head of Hamas’s military wing. Gershon Baskin, an Israeli peace activist, had been in communication with Jabari long before the assassination. According to Baskin, Jabari had come to believe that it was in the best interest of Palestinians for Hamas to negotiate a long-term truce.
Israel launched Operation Protective Edge, another bombing and invasion of Gaza, on July 8. Several days later, Hamas proposed a 10-year ceasefire, on the condition that Israel would release the Palestinian prisoners, and the blockades of Gaza in the Mediterranean Sea and along its border with Egypt would be lifted. Israel studiously ignored this proposal and went on to kill over 2,000 people in Gaza, about two-thirds of whom were civilians. Seventy-two Israelis died during the operation, nearly all of them soldiers. https://theintercept.com/2023/11/17/hillary-clinton-hamas-israel/
2023-11-16 Krystal CLASHES With 2024 Candidate Dean Phillips On Gaza Ceasefire | Breaking Points Krystal interviews presidential candidate Dean Phillips on Israel and the prospects of a ceasefire. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAFq1qC01QI
2023-11-15 AOC Leads New Cease-Fire Push as Gaza Children Suffer Twenty-four House members led by Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mark Pocan, and Betty McCollum sent a letter to President Joe Biden Wednesday renewing calls for a cease-fire in Gaza.
The letter writers emphasized in particular how Israel’s ongoing bombardment has impacted Gaza’s 1 million children. The attack has killed 4,506 children and injured at least 7,695, while at least 1,755 are missing, most likely trapped beneath rubble. Israeli soldiers and settlers have also killed at least 51 children in the West Bank in the last 39 days.
“We are profoundly shocked by the grave violations of children’s rights in the context of armed conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the representatives wrote. “International norms require that all parties to an armed conflict protect children and prevent the commission of grave violations against them, including killing and maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, recruitment and use of children, abduction of children, and denial of humanitarian access.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/biden-cease-fire-gaza-children
2023-11-10 Bernie Sanders Disappoints With Cease-Fire Refusal Given the makeup of the US Senate, one would assume that the senator who would go out on a limb and become the first, and still the only one, to call for a ceasefire would be progressive firebrand Bernie Sanders. But it wasn’t. Instead, it was Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois.
Durbin is known as a relatively liberal senator, but he’s never been a leader on the issue of Palestine. Sanders, on the other hand, has been the most outspoken member of the Senate on Palestine, although that is a pretty low bar. Still, in the past, he has been willing to speak out.
During his 2016 presidential run, Sanders offered some mild criticism of Israeli policies, but did so in Brooklyn, New York, defying fears that this would cause his Jewish supporters to bolt. But nothing of the kind happened. Sanders has also spoken about enforcing US law on arms sales to Israel, a subject so controversial in Washington that it is seen as politically toxic. He has repeatedly criticised Israel’s policies; but on Gaza, he has absolutely refused to call for a ceasefire.
When asked, Sanders supported the Israeli view that military action must continue until Hamas is destroyed. “I don’t know how you can have a ceasefire, a permanent ceasefire, with an organisation like Hamas, which is dedicated to turmoil and chaos and destroying the State of Israel,” Sanders told CNN. “I think what the Arab countries in the region understand is that Hamas has got to go.”
Ignoring demands. Two weeks ago, more than 300 former Sanders staffers and campaign workers published an open letter calling on him to support a ceasefire, an end to the blockade of Gaza and “US military funding for war crimes against the Palestinian people, the expansion of settlements, and the occupation of Palestinian lands.” https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/bernie-sanders-gaza-cease-fire
2023-11-10 Congress’ Censure of Rep Tlaib Shows There’s a ‘Palestine Exception’ to Free Speech “I find it horrific that the politicians have the nerve to censure righteous voices for peace and for the lives of Gazans, who are being murdered,” Holocaust survivor Marione Ingram said.
In the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, the nation’s founding documents are on display, including the Bill of Rights, which enshrines free speech. As Israel subjects Gaza to a massive air and ground assault, Congress has reminded us of what has come to be known as “the Palestine exception” to free speech.
On Tuesday, 22 Democrats joined with the Republican majority to censure Palestinian-American Congressmember Rashida Tlaib. Just before the rare vote, Tlaib addressed the House, surrounded by her progressive colleagues including the two other Muslims in Congress, André Carson and Ilhan Omar–herself the only African refugee in Congress, their fellow African American Congressmembers Ayanna Pressley, Summer Lee, Jamal Bowman, and Cori Bush, along with the chair of the Progressive Caucus, Pramila Jayapal.
“I’m the only Palestinian American serving in Congress, Mr. Chair, and my perspective is needed here now more than ever. I will not be silent, and I will not let you distort my words,” Tlaib said. “Trying to bully or censor me won’t work, because this movement for a cease-fire is much bigger than one person. It’s growing every single day. There are millions of people across our country who oppose [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu’s extremism…They are done watching our government, Mr. Chair, supporting cutting off food, water, electricity, and medical care to millions of people with nowhere to go. Like me, Mr. Chair, they don’t believe the answer to war crimes is more war crimes.”https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/tlaib-palestine-free-speech
2023-11-08 Hillary Clinton: Israel, Palestinians Need New Leadership for Peace “I think there needs to be new leadership of the Israelis and the Palestinians in order to have any chance at some kind of peace deal, especially a two-state solution.” Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talks about the Israel-Hamas war. She speaks with John Micklethwait via video conference for the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore. (Excerpt)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iorNGSeazk
2023-11-07 ‘Palestinian People Are Not Disposable,’ Says Rashida Tlaib During House Censure Debate “Speaking up to save lives—no matter faith, no matter ethnicity—should not be controversial in this chamber. The cries of the Palestinian and Israeli children sound no different to me.” “I’m the only Palestinian American serving in Congress… and my perspective is needed here now more than ever,” Tlaib asserted. “I will not be silenced and I will not let you distort my words.” “Folks forget I’m from Detroit, the most beautiful, blackest city in the country where I learned how to speak truth to power even if my voice shakes,” she added. “Trying to bully or censor me won’t work because this movement for a cease-fire is much bigger than one person. It’s growing every single day.”
U.S. House lawmakers voted Tuesday night to censure Tlaib. The vote was 234-188, with 22 Democrats joining almost all Republicans in approving the resolution. Four GOP lawmakers voted against the measure.
Many Republicans and Democrats have accused Tlaib of antisemitism, especially for calling Israel’s war on Gaza a “genocide”—an assessment with which many experts concur—and for using the phrase, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Tlaib has explained that, to her, the phrase—which is also a core component of the original platform of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party—”is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/censure-rashida-tlaib-2666179441
2023-11-05 Sanders Blasts AIPAC After Group Thanks Him for Not Demanding Cease-Fire in Gaza After the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Sunday publicly thanked U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders for declining to join global calls for a cease-fire in Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, the Vermont Independent rebuffed the lobbying group.
The senator—under progressive pressure to change his position on Israel’s war—noted that AIPAC “has supported dozens of GOP extremists who are undermining our democracy” and is “now working hard to defeat progressive members of Congress.”
“AIPAC endorsed scores of January 6th insurrectionists. They are no friend to American democracy. They are one of the more racist and bigoted PACs in Congress as well, who disproportionately target members of color. They are an extremist organization that destabilizes U.S. democracy.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/aipac-bernie-sanders
2023-11-04 Psychopathic Liar Nikki Haley Pushes War With Iran! Throughout the 2024 presidential campaign Republican Nikki Haley has emerged as perhaps the most ardent and bloodthirsty warmongering candidate, and that’s saying something among a group who are not shy about threatening military force all over the globe, from Russia to Israel to Mexico. Haley in particular wants to point U.S. military capabilities at Iran, which she blames for the recent Hamas attacks. Guest host Craig Jardula and Americans’ Comedian Kurt Metzger discuss Haley’s brazen lies about how Iran and Hamas are determined to kill Americans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KlguVEaIIc&t=4s
2023-11-04 Republicans Admit Gaza Is A “Concentration Camp” Video footage shows that decades ago Republicans like Pat Buchanan and Ron Paul were acknowleding that Gaza is a “concentration camp.” Today you likely won’t hear elected Republicans saying anything of the kind, but among the larger community, even in the United States, the Israeli narrative depicting themselves as the innocent victims of the horrible terrorists of Hamas is rapidly breaking down. Guest host Craig Jardula and Americans’ Comedian Kurt Metzger speak with columnist George Szamuely about the failures of Israeli propaganda, also known as “hasbara.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caPJdImn6JY
2023-11-03 Mike Johnson went to Palestine with Jim Jordan and said citizens aren’t oppressed: report Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) took a trip to the Palestinian Territories with Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH), where he met up with extremist groups and proclaimed that there’s no oppression in the area, reported Mother Jones on Friday. The trip took place in 2020, when the two lawmakers were in the minority and Johnson was an obscure backbencher.
“In February of that year, Johnson traveled to Israel with Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio),” reported David Corn. “The sponsor for this trip was the New York-based 12Tribe Films Foundation, a small outfit that that describes itself as ‘online warriors for truth about Israel and the Jewish people.’ The organization spent $34,520 — about one-quarter of its revenue that year — to fly the two lawmakers and their wives to Israel and host them for the week-long trip.” https://www.rawstory.com/johnson-and-jordan-go-to-palestine/
2023-11-03 Palestine, Israel, and the US war machine w/Dennis Kucinich | The Chris Hedges Report Israel’s ongoing massacre in Gaza has stirred worldwide calls for a ceasefire to stop the genocide unfolding. The United States has been no exception, which countless demonstrators taking to the streets in recent weeks. That hasn’t stopped the US government from backing Israel’s horrific campaign in Gaza to the hilt. The White House has refused to heed calls for a ceasefire and even deployed two aircraft carriers to the Mediterranean—not to defend Palestinians, but to dissuade regional powers from joining the fray to defend Palestine. As the possibility of a regional war looms with the entry of Yemen into the conflict, many wonder how the US might respond to such a scenario. Former US Congressperson Dennis Kucinich joins The Chris Hedges Report for a discussion on the US war machine—what it is, how it works, and how it might respond should the war in Palestine spiral into a wider conflagration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTP-W9VoFKA
2023-11-02 Ron DeSantis Comes Out AGAINST Free Speech! Ron DeSantis may have stood up to the Pharma lobby — somewhat — during the height of COVID, but one powerful interest he’s NOT standing up to today is the Israel lobby. In fact, DeSantis has responded to the latest flare-up in Israeli-Palestinian violence by sending weaponry from the state of Florida directly to Israel while echoing the most bloodthirsty language embracing violence against Hamas and Palestinians. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3BJBGBHnyc&t=46s
2023-11-01 ‘Squad’ members face Democratic primary challenges over Israel stances St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell announced this week he was dropping his months-long bid to unseat one of the country’s most outspoken Republican senators, Josh Hawley, to launch a primary campaign to oust fellow Democrat Rep. Cori Bush. When asked to explain his switch, Bell pointed to Bush’s criticism of Israel. Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Summer L. Lee (D-Pa.) also drew primary challengers who cite their criticism of Israel as an issue. George Latimer, the executive of Westchester County, N.Y., said he is weighing a challenge to Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), another member of the Squad, with Israel as a potentially defining issue in the race. “It might be that this becomes a proxy argument” between “the left and the far left,” Latimer told The Washington Post.
Support for Israel by the United States is a source of growing tension within the Democratic Party. While party leaders and establishment figures have largely been united in support of the 75-year-old democratic nation, the liberal wing of the party has grown louder in challenging the Israeli government over its treatment of Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee — which has helped fund challenges to incumbents it considers insufficiently supportive of Israel — declined, for now, to comment on the brewing congressional races. “There will be a time for political action,” Marshall Wittmann, a spokesman for group, said in a statement Tuesday, “but right now our priority is building and sustaining congressional support for Israel’s fight to permanently dismantle Hamas, which perpetrated this barbaric, terrorist attack on the Jewish state.”
Liberal political action committee Justice Democrats said AIPAC is targeting Democrats who criticize Israel and who also challenge economic policies that hurt poor and middle-class people. “What they really are is a vehicle for Republican dollars to be spent in Democratic primaries to elect Republican-adjacent Democrats,” Usamah Andrabi, spokesperson for the PAC, said in an interview Tuesday. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/squad-members-face-democratic-primary-challenges-over-israel-stances/ar-AA1jcWFq
2023-10-29 Bernie Sanders speaking on Palestine Situation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQJxNBOOGHw
2023-10-28 Tell Senator Bernie Sanders: Ceasefire Now -Petition As American Jews and allies, many of us have looked to Bernie Sanders for years as the political leader who best embodies our values.
Right now, many of us are also grieving Israeli and Palestinian loved ones who have been murdered in recent weeks. Over 1400 Israelis and over 5700 Palestinians are already dead, with more Palestinians killed by bombs that rain on Gaza by the hour, and over 200 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. This genocidal violence cannot be allowed to escalate or continue.
Add your name to tell Senator Sanders: introduce a resolution in the Senate calling for a ceasefire now. Your principled, antiwar leadership in this moment could save thousands of lives. Together, we’ll show Sen. Sanders that there’s a growing movement that has his back. https://secure.everyaction.com/5P3tnNZN40WklfxlkU7PEA2?s=04&fbclid=IwAR1WIczVQ9_H0JJys7qf6E9GHWz9MVBGDWLyw26X1EcZXpYa13eXkePQ_Po
2023-10-26 Eight Progressives Vote Against House Israel Resolution That Ignores Palestinian Suffering Eight members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus on Wednesday voted against a bipartisan House resolution that expresses unconditional support for the Israeli government as it carries out massive war crimes in Gaza—atrocities that aren’t once mentioned in the newly passed measure.
The seven CPC members who joined Bush in voting no were Reps. Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), André Carson (Ind.), Summer Lee (Pa.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), and Delia Ramirez (Ill.). Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), who is not a CPC member, also voted no, as did Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). Six Democrats, including CPC chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), voted present.
The resolution, titled H. Res. 771, passed late Wednesday in a 412 to 10 vote, the House’s first act under newly elected Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). Led by Reps. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the resolution states that the House “stands with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists” and “stands ready to assist Israel with emergency resupply and other security, diplomatic, and intelligence support.”
The Senate unanimously approved a similar resolution last week. https://www.commondreams.org/news/progressives-israel-resolution
2023-10-25 These 16 lawmakers did not vote for a House resolution supporting Israel after the Hamas attacks The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a resolution in support of Israel by an overwhelmingly 412-10-6 margin following the October 7 attack by Hamas. The bipartisan resolution, drafted by Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas and Democratic Rep. Greg Meeks of New York, is a largely symbolic gesture. It was the first legislative action that the House took after electing Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana as the next speaker of the House, ending the lower chamber’s 3 weeks of deadlock.
The resolution states that the House “stands with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists” and “reaffirms the United States’ commitment to Israel’s security.” But to progressives’ dismay, the resolution makes relatively little mention of civilian casualties in the Gaza strip, which have steadily mounted as Israel has carried out aerial bombings since the Hamas attack. “Whereas since October 7, 2023, Hamas is directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians,” the statement reads.
Over a dozen progressive Democrats — and one Republican — voted “nay” or “present.” [MEK Note: The few who won’t support genocide of Palestinians are listed below. Not one California Representtive]
Here are the 10 lawmakers who voted against the resolution:
Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York
Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri
Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana
Rep. Al Green of Texas
Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York
Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota
Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois
Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan
And here are the 6 lawmakers who voted “present:”
Rep. Greg Casar of Texas
Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas
Rep. Chuy Garcia of Illinois
Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington
Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts
Rep. Nydia Velázquez of New York
2023-10-25 Ilhan Omar BLASTS Ritchie Torres (clip) Torres supports Israel and not Palestinians and is exposed here! Ritchie John Torres (born March 12, 1988) is an American politician from New York. A member of the Democratic Party, Torres is the U.S. representative for New York’s 15th congressional district. The district covers most of the South Bronx. It is one of the smallest districts by area in the country, covering only a few square miles. Torres represents the poorest Congressional district in New York State. https://sabbysabs.substack.com/p/ilhan-omar-blasts-ritchie-torres
2023-10-25 More Than 300 Former Sanders Staffers Urge Him to Lead Cease-Fire Resolution in Senate “Your voice is needed now more than ever, because cooler heads must prevail and prevent further suffering and bloodshed.”
More than 300 former staffers from Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns released an open letter Tuesday urging the Vermont Independent to sponsor a cease-fire resolution in the U.S. Senate as Israel’s bombing campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip continues unabated.
Sanders said last week that “the bombs and missiles from both sides must end” and has accused Israel of violating international law with its blockade on Gaza, but he has yet to express support for the cease-fire resolution led by progressive Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) in the House.
The senator’s former campaign staffers want him to spearhead a similar cease-fire effort in the Senate, where the Democratic leadership has thus far been in lockstep with the Biden administration’s unwavering support for Israel’s attack on Gaza. https://www.commondreams.org/news/sanders-cease-fire-resolution
2023-10-25 Obama Warns Israel Former U.S. President Barack Obama has endorsed Israel’s right to defend against “wanton violence” by Hamas, but warned that a strategy that |ignores the human cost” would be counterproductive. In an essay released on Medium on Monday, Obama endorsed President Joe Biden’s call for the U.S. to “support our long-time ally in going after Hamas, dismantling its military capabilities,” and freeing the hostages taken in the October 7 attack. However, Obama argued, it is important that Israel’s strategy “abides by international law” and minimize the death and suffering of civilians. Not just because it is “morally just and reflects our belief in the inherent value of every human life” but because it is “vital for building alliances and shaping international opinion – all of which are critical for Israel’s long-term security.” https://countercurrents.org/2023/10/obama-warns-israel/
2023-10-24 Congressional Press Releases Over two weeks since Hamas attack and Israel’s Geocide Against Gaza Palestinians. (pending ongoing research)
Ceasefire Now Resolution urges support for an end to violence in Israel and Occupied Palestine. Today, 10-16 Representatives Cori Bush (MO-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), André Carson (IN-07), Summer Lee (PA-12), and Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), alongside Representatives Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) a
These 7 signed and initiated the Ceasefire statement Barbara Lee (CA-12), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), and Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04)
No Press Releases from Ro Khanna (CA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10)
No Press Release function on his Congressional website Eric Swalwell (CA-14)
No Press Releases until signed Cease Fire Statement 10-17 Barbara Lee (CA-12) and none since
Pro-Israel Press Release but with concern of Genocide 10-18 Kevin Mullin (CA-15)
Pro-Israel Press Release with no concern of Genocide from 10-11 Mike Thompson (CA-04),
Pro-Israel Press Release with very minor concern of Genocide from 10-9 John Garamendi (D-CA), 10-19 Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Anna G. Eshoo (CA-16)
2023-10-23 Over half of House Democrats endorse Biden’s backing for Israel in war against Hamas
MEK Note: Rep DeSaulnier signed this letter]
More than half of Democrats in the US House of Representatives sent a letter to President Joe Biden endorsing his policy of backing Israel in its war against Hamas, mounting a firewall against calls from the party’s left to pressure Israel into a ceasefire. The signatories include several outspoken critics of Israel, as well as all 24 Jews in the House Democratic caucus.
The letter, dated Friday, was spearheaded by three Jewish members, Jerry Nadler and Dan Goldman of New York and Jamie Raskin of Maryland, and was signed by 131 lawmakers. “We stand with you in supporting Israel and are ready to provide whatever assistance the state and people of Israel need to defend themselves and to ensure that hostages return home and those who perpetrated these crimes against humanity are held accountable,” the letter says.
Biden has said he backs Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas. A number of progressives on the party’s left oppose additional defense assistance for Israel and have led calls for a ceasefire, coming out to back protesters at the US Capitol last week. The letter does not mention a ceasefire.https://www.timesofisrael.com/over-half-of-house-democrats-endorse-bidens-backing-for-israel-in-war-against-hamas/
2023-10-21 RASKIN, NADLER, GOLDMAN LEAD LETTER FROM MAJORITY OF HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS TO PRESIDENT BIDEN IN SUPPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION’S RESPONSE TO TERRORISM IN ISRAEL, THE CONFLICT IN GAZA AND THE IMPERATIVE OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
[MEK Note: Rep Mark DeSaulnier signed this letter. Again, there is no mention of a ceasefire.]
Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) and Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) led a letter signed by every Democratic Jewish Member and 128 other Democrats in Congress to President Joe Biden expressing support for the Biden administration’s strong leadership in addressing conflict in the Middle East.
The lawmakers continued, “We are grateful as well for your clear statements regarding the fundamental importance of ensuring that the humanitarian needs of the civilian population of Gaza are met, and that all possible steps are being taken to ensure the safety of civilians and noncombatants in the Strip. Reportedly, more than 3,000 people have been killed and more than 9,700 wounded in Gaza, making it imperative that we act immediately to prevent further loss of innocent lives. We agree with you that Israel’s response must be in accordance with international law and our shared democratic values.”
“Even after this war between Israel and Hamas is over, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians cannot be solved ultimately by any military means. When this crisis ends, your leadership together with regional partners will be needed to create a path to a sustainable future because, as you have so often pointed out, both Israelis and Palestinians deserve equal measures of freedom, security, opportunity and dignity. There will never be an end to the violence until that goal is achieved, and we know that the United States will have a significant role in the pursuit of the peaceful coexistence between Israel and its neighbors.” https://raskin.house.gov/2023/10/raskin-nadler-goldman-lead-letter-from-majority-of-house-democratic-caucus-to-president-biden-in-support-of-the-administration-s-response-to-terrorism-in-israel-the-conflict-in-gaza-and-the-imperative-of-humanitarian-assistance
2023-10-20 Full Letter signed by 129 Democrats.
[MEK Note: No mention of a Ceasefire. Rep Mark DeSaulnier signed this letter.] https://raskin.house.gov/_cache/files/d/e/de4d5984-895e-4731-8153-57e01aa77e17/5248F04D2C33EBAF2AC19946266E2A8A.10-20-23-raskin-nadler-goldman-letter-to-biden-on-middle-east-conflict.pdf
2023-10-19 Group of Muslim and Jewish Hill staffers call for cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war Muslim and Jewish congressional staffers are signing onto an open letter first reported by POLITICO to directly call on their bosses to demand a cessation of hostilities in the Israel-Hamas war. Read the full letter. https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/10/19/congress/hill-staff-call-for-cease-fire-israel-hamas-00122453
2023-10-19 Rep. Ro Khanna Loses Political Director Over Not Sponsoring Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Resolution Khanna’s political director reportedly quit after only two weeks on the job citing the congressman’s refusal to call for a ceasefire. The political director for Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., resigned over Khanna not co-sponsoring a resolution calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, according to a new report. “I will be doing everything in my power to stand against war & for Palestinian justice,” said the political director Adam Ramer in a social media post reported by The Intercept.
Ramer worked for Khanna’s office for just two weeks before quitting. “I have great respect for Adam’s conviction and he is a passionate voice for human rights for Palestinians,” Khanna told The Intercept’s Ryan Grim. “I will continue to call for protecting civilian life, humanitarian aid, and living up to the standards of the Geneva convention.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rep-ro-khanna-loses-political-director-over-not-sponsoring-israel-hamas-ceasefire-resolution/ar-AA1iwS9w
2023-10-17 Sanders Statement on Horrific Violence in Israel and Gaza WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today on the horrific violence in Israel and Gaza: The slaughter of over a thousand Israelis by Hamas in a terrorist attack is an unspeakable crime. The bombing of a Palestinian hospital is an unspeakable crime, as is the displacement of a million people without water, food, and medicine. These unspeakable crimes must stop now. The bombs and missiles from both sides must end, massive humanitarian aid must be rushed to Gaza, and the hostages must be returned to their families. https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-statement-on-horrific-violence-in-israel-and-gaza/
2023-10-16 Ceasefire Now Resolution urges support for an end to violence in Israel and Occupied Palestine. Today, Representatives Cori Bush (MO-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), André Carson (IN-07), Summer Lee (PA-12), and Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), alongside Representatives Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) announced a resolution urging the Biden Administration to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine, to send humanitarian aid and assistance to Gaza, and to save as many lives as possible. A copy of this resolution can be found HERE. https://bush.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-bush-tlaib-carson-lee-ramirez-lead-colleagues-in-call-for-immediate-ceasefire
2023-10-14 Has Israel’s govt recruited a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee? Brian Mast, a member of the United States Congress seated on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, showed up for work this October 13 clad in the uniform of the Israeli military. “As the only member to serve with both the United States Army and the Israel Defense Forces, I will always stand with Israel,” the evangelical Christian Republican posted on X around 10:30 in the morning. Mast went on to attack his Palestinian American colleague, Rep Rashida Tlaib, declaring, “Tlaib’s got her flag. I got my uniform. ‘Global Day of Rage’ my ass.”
Is it appropriate that someone who has served in a foreign military be allowed to return to the United States and serve on such a sensitive government committee, earning a security clearance along the way? “Anyone who has worked with the Israelis is briefed that they will attempt to elicit, collect, and recruit from Americans,” a former US Special Operations officer who asked to remain anonymous explained to The Grayzone. “He should not have security clearance. That’s just common sense.”
Having previously served the US military in Afghanistan, Mast volunteered as a bomb disposal specialist for the Israeli army during its 2014 assault on the Gaza Strip. The 51-day assault known as “Operation Protective Edge” resulted in widespread destruction of civilian homes as well as the death of 2202 Palestinians including 526 children. https://thegrayzone.com/2023/10/14/israels-govt-foreign-affairs-committee/
2023-10-11 Sanders Statement on Continuing Violence in Israel and Gaza Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Wednesday issued the following statement on the continuing violence in Israel and Gaza following Hamas’ horrific attack on Saturday: Hamas’ terrorist assault on Israel will have horrific short- and long-term consequences.
As a result of this attack, thousands of Israelis and Palestinians – including many women and children – have been killed and injured. That toll will rise. The gunning down of young Israelis at a music festival is an image the world will not soon forget.
Longer term, this attack is a major setback for any hope of peace and reconciliation in the region – and justice for the Palestinian people. For years, people of good will throughout the world, including some brave Israelis, have struggled against the blockade of Gaza, the daily humiliations of occupation in the West Bank, and the horrendous living conditions faced by so many Palestinians. For many, it is no secret that Gaza has been an open-air prison, with millions of people struggling to secure basic necessities. Hamas’ terrorism will make it much more difficult to address that tragic reality and will embolden extremists on both sides, continuing the cycle of violence.
Right now, the international community must focus on reducing humanitarian suffering and protecting innocent people on both sides of this conflict. The targeting of civilians is a war crime, no matter who does it. Israel’s blanket denial of food, water, and other necessities to Gaza is a serious violation of international law and will do nothing but harm innocent civilians. The United States has rightly offered solidarity and support to Israel in responding to Hamas’ attack. But we must also insist on restraint from Israeli forces attacking Gaza and work to secure UN humanitarian access. Let us not forget that half of the two million people in Gaza are children. Children and innocent people do not deserve to be punished for the acts of Hamas. https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-statement-on-continuing-violence-in-israel-and-gaza/
2023-10-10 Israel’s apartheid caused Hamas massacre, kidnapping, says US Rep. Tlaib Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog condemned the statement. Herzog attached a photo of Tlaib’s comments, which read: “I grieve the Palestinian and Israeli lives lost yesterday, today and everyday. I am determined as ever to fight for a just future where everyone can live in peace, without fear and with true freedom, equal rights and human dignity.
“The path to that future must include lifting the blockade, ending the occupation and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-767383
2023-10-10 US, Israeli Lawmakers Call for Genocide of Palestinians in Gaza Lawmakers in the US and Israel have called for the mass slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on southern Israel that has killed at least 1,000 Israelis. So far, Israeli retaliation has killed 900 Palestinians, a number that’s growing amid Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. Revital “Tally” Gotliv, a member of Israel’s Knesset and the Likud party, called for Israel to use its nuclear weapons, which Israel has never formally acknowledged exist. Over in the US, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) also called for mass slaughter in Gaza. https://www.activistpost.com/2023/10/us-israeli-lawmakers-call-for-genocide-of-palestinians-in-gaza.html
2023-10-07 Graham Statement on Israel Attacks U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement following Hamas’ unjust invasion and attack on Israel. “Our thoughts and prayers are with our friends and allies in Israel as they defend their homeland from this unjust invasion and attack by the terrorist group Hamas. “It would serve Israel and the world well to respond to this outrage by launching an operation that will destroy the Hamas organization – not just contain it. “I am convinced that this unprecedented and brutal attack by Hamas is not only supported by Iran, it was designed to stop peace efforts between Saudi Arabia and Israel. A peace agreement between those two nations would be a nightmare for Iran and Hamas. “Israel has lived long enough in the shadow of the Hamas terrorist organization. Israel has always been pressed by the international community to make a proportional response to any attacks and the world was ready to condemn any Israeli excesses in defending their citizens and homeland. That kind of thinking and criticism needs to come to an end. “We should support Israel’s ability to eradicate this terrorist threat by any and all means necessary.” https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=52F9D091-A3A0-4A34-826E-8167538A8632
2023-10-07 Kennedy Condemns Terrorist Attacks Against Israel “This ignominious, unprovoked, and barbaric attack on Israel must be met with world condemnation and unequivocal support for the Jewish state’s right to self-defense. We must provide Israel with whatever it needs to defend itself — now. As President, I’ll make sure that our policy is unambiguous so that the enemies of Israel will think long and hard before attempting aggression of any kind.
“I applaud the strong statements of support from the Biden White House for Israel in her hour of need. However, the scale of these attacks means it is likely that Israel will need to wage a sustained military campaign to protect its citizens. Statements of support are fine, but we must follow through with unwavering, resolute, and practical action. America must stand by our ally throughout this operation and beyond as it exercises its sovereign right to self-defense.”https://www.kennedy24.com/kennedy_condemns_terrorist_attacks_against_israel
United States Politicians before October 7, 2023
2023-10-00 Palestine and Empire After Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Pramila Jayapal, accurately if perhaps accidentally, publicly called Israel a “racist state,” a bipartisan Concurrent Resolution 57 repudiating such a heresy was rushed to the House of Representatives, where the vote passed 412-9-1. We pause briefly for the honor roll of those opposing the resolution: Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Jamaal Bowman (NY), Summer Lee (PA), Ilhan Omar (MN), Cori Bush (MO), Andre Carson (IN), Delia Ramirez (IL) and Ayanna Pressley (MA). Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), author of a bill (HR 3103) against U.S. aid for Israel’s large-scale administrative detention of Palestinian children, voted “present.”
Congressional Representative Betty McCollum has reintroduced the above-mentioned “Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act,” which her website describes as a bill “to prohibit Israel from using U.S. taxpayer dollars on 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 on any support or assistance for Israel’s unilateral annexation of Palestinian territory in violation of international humanitarian law.” https://againstthecurrent.org/atc226/palestine-and-empire/
2021-05-16 28 Democratic Senators Call for ‘Immediate Ceasefire’ in Gaza As Biden Admin Urges ‘Calm’ A majority of the Senate Democratic Caucus on Sunday called for an “immediate ceasefire” in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, a move that President Joe Biden’s administration has not yet made. Earlier today, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged returning to “calm” and an end to the violence in Gaza.
Twenty eight senators, led by Georgia’s Jon Ossoff, issued a joint statement calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East. “To prevent any further loss of civilian life and to prevent further escalation of conflict in Israel and the Palestinian territories, we urge an immediate ceasefire,” the senators wrote.
The statement’s signatories include Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Angus King of Maine, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Mark Warner of Virginia, Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
The Biden administration has repeatedly supported Israel’s “right to defend itself” despite calls from progressives to condemn Israel’s actions toward the Palestinians amid the region’s escalating violent conflict.
Sanders, a Jewish-American independent who caucuses with Democrats, urged the Biden administration to denounce “Israeli extremists.” Warren called for the federal government to “make clear to the Israeli government” that evicting Palestinians from their homes is “illegal and must stop immediately.”
On Saturday, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that the violence in Gaza will continue for “as long as necessary.” https://www.newsweek.com/28-democratic-senators-call-immediate-ceasefire-gaza-biden-admin-urges-calm-1591953
2021-05-12 AOC’s Attack on Yang’s Meaningless Israel Statement Shows Her Role: Protect Dem Leaders There are three interrelated political factions that wield actual power to change blind U.S. support for Israel: the U.S. Congress, the Democratic Party, and the Biden Administration. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who claims to oppose this U.S. posture toward Israel, has significant influence in and responsibility for each: she is a member of Congress, one of the party’s most popular elected officials, and was a vocal supporter of the Biden campaign in the general election and is now a key surrogate for his administration.
After the Biden State Department’s defense of Israel, one key Democratic leader after the next has issued one-sided statements pledging continuation of endless and unconditional U.S. support to Israel that are virtually identical to those issued by every pro-war, pro-Israel Republican, from Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) to Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) to Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX). The long-time Democratic Congresswoman representing Manhattan, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, praised Price’s comments and added her own: “This is terrorism,” the New York Democrat said of the Gazan response, adding: “Rocket fire is never the answer.”
U.S. officials reflexively defend Israel’s use of violence. Indeed, support for this foreign nation is such a high priority in U.S. politics that GOP governors have championed laws to prohibit American citizens from supporting a boycott of Israel if they want to keep their jobs (courts have struck down those laws as an obvious violation of the First Amendment).
So when AOC decided on Monday to finally use her massive platform to condemn specific political figures expressing this pro-Israel mentality, which of those powerful targets did she choose? None. AOC said nothing about the State Department’s ongoing defense of Israel. She condemned none of her powerful colleagues in Congress who did the same. She refused to call on the Biden administration explicitly to change its policies or denounce Biden’s fanaticism on this issue. Her only previous utterance was a mealy-mouthed, barely cogent tweet in which she randomly threw the Israel/Gaza conflict into a laundry list along with “paramilitary violence in Colombia” and “the detention of children on our own border and the militarization of US police departments” to say: “the United States must seriously assess its role in state violence and condition aid.” So when she finally worked up the courage on Monday to single out a political official for public scolding and shaming on the issue of Israel, she decided that it should be Andrew Yang. https://greenwald.substack.com/p/aocs-attack-on-yangs-meaningless
2021-04-08 Lawmakers Embracing Fantasy of Being Both “Pro-Israel” and “Pro-Palestine” IT’S BEEN WELL-DOCUMENTED that many Democrats are increasingly willing to criticize Israeli policies and place conditions on U.S. aid to the country. This way of thinking, however, is largely confined to the rank and file of the party, and rarely reflected in the way Democratic legislators speak and vote. Even many self-styled “woke” progressive politicians, who advocate for a wide-range of leftist policies, are reluctant to go all-in when it comes to holding Israel accountable to the law. While such progressives typically distinguish themselves from “mainstream” Democrats by speaking of Palestinian rights, they do so while also regurgitating many traditional pro-Israel talking points. The result is a new brand of Democrat that incongruently seeks to appease both sides of the Israel-Palestine divide.
The “liberal Zionist” group J Street, on the other hand, serves as a natural home for progressives seeking to distinguish themselves from the status quo while also not pushing too many buttons. Street’s slogan, “pro-Israel, pro-peace,” presents a safe, respectable middle ground. Unlike AIPAC, J Street speaks of Palestinian rights, supports the Iran nuclear deal, all while still espousing a deep commitment to Israel. The J Street platform can be sold as new and progressive, while simultaneously offering political cover from charges of anti-Semitism and blind hatred of Israel. While one cannot deny that J Street is progressive in comparison to AIPAC, the organization’s “pro-Israel, pro-peace” mantra reveals the fatal flaw at the heart of liberal Zionism: How does supporting the oppressor facilitate peace? https://www.wrmea.org/2021-may/lawmakers-embracing-fantasy-of-being-both-pro-israel-and-pro-palestine.html
2021-02-17 Where Each New Member of Congress Stands on Israel and Palestine https://www.wrmea.org/congress-u.s.-aid-to-israel/where-each-new-member-of-congress-stands-on-israel-and-palestine.html
2020-11-28 Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Misguided Defense of John Brennan and The Logan Act: a Dangerous and Unconstitutional Law Foreign policy dissidents have the greatest interest in repealing the Logan Act, not wielding it as a weapon to shield ex-CIA Directors while heralding it as a clearly defined criminal statute.
I am glad that there are now members of Congress such as Congresswomen Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan who so vocally and unflinchingly dissent from this general foreign policy orientation and especially from those policies which most members of Congress either cannot or do not want to denounce.
For that very reason, I was quite surprised to see that late Friday night, Congresswoman Omar, in response to something I wrote, defended not only former CIA Director John Brennan — who as Obama’s CIA Director presided over the bombing of numerous countries including Somalia — but also The Logan Act. The Logan Act is nothing more than an unconstitutional attempt to criminalize foreign policy dissidents, like her, and is so dangerous in the hands of the CIA, FBI and federal prosecutors precisely because it lacks any clear definition or meaning. https://greenwald.substack.com/p/rep-ilhan-omars-misguided-defense
2019-10-19 Rashida Tlaib A member of “The Squad,” Rashida Tlaib, joins Ralph to talk about her aborted trip to the Occupied Territories, Israel and Palestine, poverty in Southern Michigan, and of course, impeachment.
Rashida Tlaib is currently the Congresswoman for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, which includes the city of Detroit and many surrounding communities. Representative Tlaib is a well-known progressive warrior who made history in 2008 by becoming the first Muslim woman to ever serve in the Michigan Legislature. She is beloved by residents for the transformative constituent services she provides, and for successfully fighting the billionaires and corporations that tried to pollute her district. https://www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/p/rashida-tlaib-e24#details
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Categorized Directory: News and Articles about Israel- Palestine Conflict
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