Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10 House) on Israel-Palestine since October 7, 2023
Updated 2024-07-16
[MEK Note: The United States Biden Administration and Congress after six Months have done nothing but support Israel’s outrageous genocidal and starvation attack on Palestinians in Gaza. Rep Mark DeSaulnier has effectively supported the United States’s complicity support of Israel’s genocide! There is a myth that Rep DeSaulnier supports a ceasefire! Mark has never publicly done this. Mark has never issued one press release on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Mark has never publicly condemned the U.S. United Nations Security Council vetoes of ceasefire resolutions. Mark just recently voted to cut off all U.S. aid to UNRWA’s relief program trying to prevent the ongoing starvation in Gaza while increasing more military aid to Israel’s killing machine in Gaza. Mark DeSaulnier should always be remembered as “Genocide Mark” who silently colluded with the U.S. and Israel governments in the genocide of Palestinians!]
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier’s Press Releases on Israel – Palestine NONE https://desaulnier.house.gov/media-center/press-releases
DESAULNIER DIGEST Only one post entry in support of Israel. No support of a Ceasefire or Humanitarian aid] https://desaulnier.house.gov/media-center/desaulnier-digest
2024-03-22 Just 22 House Dems Oppose Bill That Bars UNRWA Funding While Giving Billions to Israel
[MEK Note: Rep Mark DeSaunier voted for this bill that ends U.S. aid to UNRWA and increases military aid to Israel. This bill passed by 150 votes so Mark couldn’t even make a fake token vote in protest.]
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
2023-12-07 CAIR-SFBA to Join Gathering in Solidarity with Palestine at Rep. DeSaulnier Town Hall
[MEK Note: The Oct 13. 2023 letter signed by Rep. DeSaulnier and others did not call for any ceasefire.]
On Saturday, Dec. 9, the San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization, will join organizer East Bay 4 Ceasefire Now and Contra Costa County residents at a gathering in solidarity with Palestine at Rep. Mark DeSaulnier’s town hall meeting.
WHAT: Call for Rep. DeSaulnier to affirm his support for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to reject more U.S. military funding to Israel
Rep. DeSaulnier is one of only 53 congressional representatives who has called for a ceasefire. This Saturday, Dec. 9, the congressman will host a public town hall in his district, and we’re showing up to thank him for taking a public stand and to urge him to support a permanent ceasefire and an end to U.S military funding to Israel.
As the temporary pause in the bombardment of Gaza has come to an end, we urge our community to join us in calling on Rep. DeSaulnier to affirm his support for a permanent ceasefire and reject more U.S. military funding to Israel.
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Senior Communications Coordinator Lorrie Adam, ladam@cair.com, 408.986.9874 https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-sfba-to-join-gathering-in-solidarity-with-palestine-at-rep-desaulnier-town-hall/
2023-11-22 How the Israel-Hamas war continues to divide California’s Democrats. [MEK Note: Rep Mark DeSaulnier has only expressed a need for a Humanitarian Pause, but not a Ceasefire. Mark has signed letters in support of Biden’s support of Israel]
When I looked out the window, I saw Palestinian flags and protesters’ black shirts that read “Cease Fire Now.” I could hear them chanting at President Biden. I saw that they had been headed to the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. Later, Republican and Democratic lawmakers criticized the protesters for their volatile confrontation with police and their critiques of Israel. Another anti-Israel protest, over the weekend in Sacramento, prompted organizers of the California Democratic Party convention to end official events earlier than expected and showed that Democrats remained divided on the most pivotal issues facing the party and the nation,
Most Democrats in Congress have followed the lead of President Biden, who has resisted calling for a cease-fire and instead pushed for Israel to institute brief “humanitarian pauses” to allow for hostages to be recovered.
Michigan Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, is one of a small but growing number of federal lawmakers who have called for a full cease-fire. In California, Reps. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord), John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove), Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego), Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), who is running to fill the seat of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, have all endorsed versions of the idea. https://www.latimes.com/politics/newsletter/2023-11-22/palestine-israel-hamas-california-democrats-cease-fire-essential-politics
2023-11-17 Members of US Congress call for ceasefire
[MEK Note: There is no public statement that Rep. DeSaulnier supported a ceasefire. Maybe the Middle East Eye thought they heard this in personal contact with Mark]
US lawmakers John Garamendi and Mark DeSaulnier have joined a growing list of Congress members calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“As ceasefire negotiations continue, we must not lose sight of our objective to achieve long lasting peace in the region for both Israelis and Palestinians to live with dignity, safety and security,” Garamendi said in a statement.
DeSaulnier said a ceasefire would save lives and enable much-needed humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/us-congress-members-call-ceasefire
2023-11-15 AOC Leads New Cease-Fire Push as Gaza Children Suffer [MEK Note: Mark DeSaulnier’s name is missing on this letter to President Biden calling for a ceasefire.]
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
2023-11-13 Bay Area lawmakers split on support for an Israel-Hamas cease-fire [MEK Note: Rep Mark DeSaulnier supports a Humanitarian Pause not a ceasefire]
The future of the Israel-Hamas war is a rare dividing moment for Bay Area Democrats, with the majority of members supporting a humanitarian pause — the same effort being proposed by the White House — two who want a cease-fire, and four who didn’t express support for either position.
A humanitarian pause would be a temporary cease-fire in a limited area and with specific goals, while a cease-fire would be a longer-term stop in the fighting.
Only Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland wants an immediate cease-fire and is co-sponsoring a resolution to call for that. Rep. Zoe Lofgren of San Jose also supports a cease-fire if hostages held by Hamas are released, and said in a Facebook post that she wrote to President Joe Biden urging him to push for that outcome.
The Biden administration, however, has repeatedly said it does not support a cease-fire. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told senators Tuesday, “President Biden has repeatedly made clear, Israel has not only the right but the obligation to defend itself and to try to take every possible step to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
Blinken said a cease-fire “would simply consolidate what Hamas has been able to do and allow it to remain where it is and potentially repeat what it did another day. And that’s not tolerable.”
The division among congressional Democrats is exposing long-standing tensions between progressive and moderate members. Some progressives believe Israel’s long-standing treatment of Palestinians in Gaza is a form of systemic oppression and see it as parallel to injustices within the U.S. For the first time since it began tracking the issue, Gallup found in March that Democrats sympathized with Palestinians more than Israelis.
Eight Bay Area lawmakers — Reps. Mark DeSaulnier of Antioch, Jared Huffman of Marin, Ro Khanna of Santa Clara, Kevin Mullin of San Mateo, Jimmy Panetta of Santa Cruz, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Eric Swalwell of Dublin and Mike Thompson of Napa — called for a humanitarian pause in the fighting to allow for aid to enter Gaza and negotiations for releasing hostages.
Pelosi and Thompson, however, said they would not support a cease-fire. Lawmakers have faced pressure from their constituents and even their staff members to support a cease-fire. Khanna’s political director quit two weeks after stating the position, reportedly because of the congressman’s lack of support for a cease-fire. Reps. Anna Eshoo of Palo Alto and John Garamendi of Fairfield and Sens. Laphonza Butler and Padilla declined to support either a cease-fire or a pause in the fighting and called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza.
Their is a similar division among the Democrats vying to replace Butler in the Senate. The three House Democrats in the race — Lee, Katie Porter of Orange County and Adam Schiff of Burbank — have taken different positions. Lee supports an immediate cease-fire and Porter and Schiff support a humanitarian pause. Schiff has been one of Israel’s most vocal supporters since the war began. “I firmly believe that we must stand with Israel at its time of maximum need and that it has a right and duty to defend itself,” he said in a statement.
Eleven of the 12 Bay Area House members voted against a bill Thursday evening that would provide $14 billion in aid to Israel, but take approximately the same amount from the Internal Revenue Service (DeSaulnier didn’t vote).
The House also passed a resolution Thursday evening that condemns “the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff.” One Bay Area lawmaker, Huffman, voted against it. https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/israel-ceasefire-18465127.php
2023-11-06 THE DESAULNIER DIGEST – MARK HOSTS VETERANS TOWN HALL
[MEK Note: Rep DeSaulnier properly opposed this disingenuous Republican Humanitarian Gaza aid bill]
DeSaulnier Opposes Disingenuous, Partisan Israel Funding Bill. In response to President Biden’s call for security aid to Israel and humanitarian aid to Gaza, House Republicans authored a disingenuous, irresponsible package, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 6126), that did not include much-needed humanitarian assistance to innocent Palestinians. The bill was also a reckless, unprecedented attempt to tie emergency aid to domestic funding cuts to gut the IRS, protect billionaires, and further increase the deficit. While the bill passed in the House by a vote of 226-to-196, the U.S. Senate Democratic leadership has indicated it will not consider this bill. https://desaulnier.house.gov/media-center/desaulnier-digest/desaulnier-digest-mark-hosts-veterans-town-hall
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
2023-10-13 ‘We are deeply concerned’ – Progressive lawmakers make plea to Biden ahead of Israel’s Gaza campaign
[MEK Note: Rep DeSaulnier only supports a Humanitarian Pause]
Top progressive lawmakers are urging President Joe Biden to lean more heavily on Israel as it launches what seems likely to be an aggressive, bloody and lengthy campaign in Gaza.
The leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus along with dozens more lawmakers wrote the president and Secretary of State Antony Blinken a letter on Friday asking them to push Israel to follow international law and for the United States to help establish a humanitarian corridor as the war in the Middle East escalates. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/13/progressive-lawmakers-letter-biden-israel-00121463
2023-11-13 Bay Area lawmakers split on support for an Israel-Hamas cease-fire
[MEK Note: Rep DeSaulnier only supports a Humanitarian Pause]
The future of the Israel-Hamas war is a rare dividing moment for Bay Area Democrats, with the majority of members supporting a humanitarian pause — the same effort being proposed by the White House — two who want a cease-fire, and four who didn’t express support for either position. A humanitarian pause would be a temporary cease-fire in a limited area and with specific goals, while a cease-fire would be a longer-term stop in the fighting.
Only Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland wants an immediate cease-fire and is co-sponsoring a resolution to call for that. Rep. Zoe Lofgren of San Jose also supports a cease-fire if hostages held by Hamas are released, and said in a Facebook post that she wrote to President Joe Biden urging him to push for that outcome.
The Biden administration, however, has repeatedly said it does not support a cease-fire.
The division among congressional Democrats is exposing long-standing tensions between progressive and moderate members. Some progressives believe Israel’s long-standing treatment of Palestinians in Gaza is a form of systemic oppression and see it as parallel to injustices within the U.S. For the first time since it began tracking the issue, Gallup found in March that Democrats sympathized with Palestinians more than Israelis.
Eight Bay Area lawmakers — Reps. Mark DeSaulnier of Antioch, Jared Huffman of Marin, Ro Khanna of Santa Clara, Kevin Mullin of San Mateo, Jimmy Panetta of Santa Cruz, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Eric Swalwell of Dublin and Mike Thompson of Napa — called for a humanitarian pause in the fighting to allow for aid to enter Gaza and negotiations for releasing hostages.
Pelosi and Thompson, however, said they would not support a cease-fire. Mullin left the door open to supporting a cease-fire.
Lawmakers have faced pressure from their constituents and even their staff members to support a cease-fire. Khanna’s political director quit two weeks after stating the position, reportedly because of the congressman’s lack of support for a cease-fire. Reps. Anna Eshoo of Palo Alto and John Garamendi of Fairfield and Sens. Laphonza Butler and Padilla declined to support either a cease-fire or a pause in the fighting and called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza.
Their is a similar division among the Democrats vying to replace Butler in the Senate. The three House Democrats in the race — Lee, Katie Porter of Orange County and Adam Schiff of Burbank — have taken different positions. Lee supports an immediate cease-fire and Porter and Schiff support a humanitarian pause. Schiff has been one of Israel’s most vocal supporters since the war began.
House lawmakers have also been busy with legislation to provide aid to Israel and a resolution to oppose what some say is increasing antisemitism on college campuses. Eleven of the 12 Bay Area House members voted against a bill Thursday evening that would provide $14 billion in aid to Israel, but take approximately the same amount from the Internal Revenue Service (DeSaulnier didn’t vote).
The House also passed a resolution Thursday evening that condemns “the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, fhttps://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/israel-ceasefire-18465127.php
2023-10-13 Congressional Letter to President Biden
[MEK Note: Mark signed this letter, but there is no call for a ceasefire.]
(Excerpts from letter) We write to express our concerns regarding the unfolding humanitarian situation in Gaza as Israel responds to Hamas’ terrorist attack. We unequivocally condemn Hamas’ shocking and horrifying terrorist attack on Israel. We also continue to hope for the safe return of those who were taken hostage by Hamas, including American citizens, and stand ready to support your Administration in bringing them home. As efforts are made to rescue hostages, we urge those carrying out military operations to follow.
international humanitarian law and protect innocent civilian lives on both sides.
To that end, we urge you to take the following priorities into account:
1. Communicate that Israel’s response in Gaza must be carried out according to international law and take all due measures to limit harm to innocent civilians;
2. Work to quickly restore the delivery of food, water, fuel, electricity, and other life-saving necessities to Gaza to ensure that innocent civilians have the basics needed for survival;
3. Collaborate with regional partners to establish a humanitarian corridor to enable the delivery of such life-saving necessities and to allow Palestinian civilians and foreign nationals, including U.S. citizens, to seek safe haven outside of Gaza;
4. Publicly discourage any hate crimes and backlash against any American—including Jews and Muslims—including by communicating to the American people that Hamas is not the Palestinian people and the Palestinian people are not Hamas; and
5. Ensure that supplemental funding requests to Congress include humanitarian assistance for both Palestinians in Gaza and Israelis. https://jayapal.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Letter-Expressing-Concern-on-the-Humanitarian-Situation-in-Gaza.pdf
2023-10-13 The Congressional Letter to President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken Expressing Concern on the Humanitarian Situation in Gaza Mark DeSaulnier signed this letter along with 53 other House Representatives. Full support of Israel, but with a plea that Israel conduct their attack per International laws and allow adequate humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. https://jayapal.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Letter-Expressing-Concern-on-the-Humanitarian-Situation-in-Gaza.pdf
We’re horrified by the mounting death toll of civilians in Gaza and the growing humanitarian crisis. We’re grateful to these Members of Congress for laying out crucial steps to protect civilians, and we call on the Biden Administration to do everything in its power to protect innocent lives.
Representatives Pramila Jayapal, James P. McGovern, Jesús G. “Chuy” García, Delia C. Ramirez, Ayanna Pressley, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Mark Takano, Sylvia R. Garcia, Greg Casar, Jasmine Crockett, Veronica Escobar, Danny K. Davis, Mark DeSaulnier, Raúl M. Grijalva, Gwen S. Moore, Nydia M. Velázquez, Judy Chu, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr., Lloyd Doggett, Betty McCollum, Bill Foster, Sean Casten, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Daniel T. Kildee, Debbie Dingell, Earl Blumenauer, Mary Gay Scanlon, Joaquin Castro, Becca Balint, Val Hoyle, Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters, Jared Huffman, Chellie Pingree, Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Jamaal Bowman, Sara Jacobs, Melanie Stansbury, Paul D. Tonko, Donald S. Beyer Jr., Dwight Evans, Anna G. Eshoo, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Madeleine Dean, Jill Tokuda, Marcy Kaptur, Summer Lee, Robert Garcia, Lauren Underwood, Nikema Williams, André Carson, and Zoe Lofgren.
2023-10-10 THE DESAULNIER DIGEST: STANDING WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY I am deeply troubled and saddened by the despicable terrorist attacks against the Israeli people. I condemn Hamas and these heinous attacks in the strongest way. My heart goes out to the families of the fallen – may their memories be a blessing. If you or someone you know are in Irael and need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our office at (925) 933-2660 or visit the State Department’s website at https://il.usembassy.gov/security-alert-2-u-s-embassy-jerusalem-october-7-2023/?fbclid=IwAR384NQ2Nw9WUsy-oakZjxlu_xit7anqiPjByBhGlmqv4pJtHdBCLlsOODU.
Yesterday, I joined Temple Isaiah of Lafayette to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community in CA-10, in Israel, and around the nation. https://desaulnier.house.gov/media-center/desaulnier-digest/desaulnier-digest-standing-jewish-community
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