Uprooted Palestinian: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM – سلام القدس عليكم: US Military Aid to Israel

- 04. May, 2010

14friendsofpalestine

Contact your state congressmen or senators today. The U.S.Congress is considering a bill to vote for it’s annual $3 Billion assistance to Israel’s IDF.

The US 2011 budget is now in the House Appropriations Committee, and Israel is to be given another $3 Billion in Military Aid! In past years, Israel has been given this “aid” with no discussion, no conditions that must be met, no reporting requirements, and no incremental/quarterly payments as is done with every other country receiving such Aid. These practices clearly must be stopped if the US is to be able to bring Israel to end all building of settlements, open Gaza and enter into good faith negotiations for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace agreement.

It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that our House Representatives hear from us NOW, before the $’s are approved with no changes, no conditions that Israel must meet! Tell your Rep. by phone, email or fax to insist on placing conditions on the release of more of our tax dollars (see section B – for sample text for you to “paste” into your congressperson’s contact “box” – We’ve tested it and it will fit into those typical “boxes”).

In Section C you will find the names, phone numbers and key aide of all 8 Democratic members of the powerful Appropriations Subcommittee for State and Foreign Operations. They make the initial recommendation to the house for these funds. They are key to this process, so PLEASE CONTACT THEM ALSO. We need them to add the necessary conditions on the release of any aid to Israel! We can make a difference!

A – Talking Points for your phone calls:

1 -No funds released until all settlement construction is halted in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

2 -No funds released until Israel opens up Gaza.

3 – No funds released until the Administration fully investigates Israel’s possible violations of the US Arms Export Control Act in the recent attack on Gaza – including the preliminary evidence in the Goldstone Report.

4- No funds released until Israel has withdrawn all military checkpoints, barriers, troops, walls/fences, military zones and installations from the West Bank (the pre June 5, 1967 borders).

B – Sample text for your congressperson’s “contact me box”:

2011 Budget time is here. We must not continue to support the land takeover and brutal occupation of recognized Palestinian land.

The World is watching us and our continued unconditional support is harming the USA, and Israel’s continued actions harm them.

Please ensure that certain reasonable, easily achievable, conditions on the release of that Military Aid to Israel is enacted in this budget. All of these conditions may be met with Israel’s security insured, in fact, their security will be much improved by these conditions being implemented. Placing conditions on the release of aid will assist the Administrations efforts to bring Israel and the Palestinians to a negotiated agreement and an end to this terrible situation.

2011 Military Aid to Israel be given in quarterly amounts based on:

1st qtr -No funds released until all settlement construction is halted in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

2nd qtr -No funds released until Israel has allowed Gaza: all food, medical aid, water purification and sewer treatment supplies; safe access to farm land and fishing; necessary building materials and supplies; movement and access as agreed upon in the 2005 Agreement.

3rd qtr - No funds released until the Administration presents Congress with a full investigation of Israel’s possible violations of the Arms Export Control Act during the Dec. 08 – Jan. 09 attack on Gaza. The investigation is to include relevant portions of the UN’s Goldstone Report.

4th qtr – No funds released until Israel, with appropriate security in place, has withdrawn all military checkpoints, barriers, troops, walls/fences, military zones and installations from the West Bank (the pre June5, 1967 borders).

C – This is the Subcommittee that makes the first approval on the proposed Military Aid to Israel: (Swarm them with faxes, it is all about numbers!)

Appropriations Subcommittee for State and Foreign Affairs - Democrats

Nita M. Lowey, New York – Chair NY-18^th Dist. Office in White Plains.
DC Office 202-225-6506, Fax – 0546
Ann.Vaughan@mail.house.gov (Lowey’s aide for this subcommittee)
Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., Illinois
DC – 202-225-0773, Fax -0899
Charles.Dujon@mail.house.gov
Adam Schiff, California
DC – 202-225-4176, Fax 5828
Timothy.Bergreen@mail.house.gov
Betty McCollum, Minnesota
DC 202-225-6631, Fax 1968
Peter.Frosch@mail.house.gov
Steven R. Rothman, New Jersey
DC 202-225-5061, Fax 5851
Jonathan.Moore@mail.house.gov
Barbara Lee, California
DC 202-225-2661, Fax 9817
Julie.nickson@mail.house.gov
Scott.Exner@mail.house.gov
Steve Israel, New York
DC 202-225-3335, Fax 4669
Mike.Ryan@mail.house.gov
Ben Chandler, Kentucky
DC 202-225-4706, Fax 2122
Jim.Creevy@mail.house.gov
David R. Obey, Wisconsin, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and Ex-Officio on this Subcommittee
DC 202-225-3365
Anne.Georges@mail.house.gov