Washington DC [US]: Twenty Democratic legislators have called on President Joe Biden’s administration to suspend the transfer of offensive weapons to Israel, citing the Israeli government’s non-compliance with US demands to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.
In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, the lawmakers emphasized the need for the United States to enforce its own laws that restrict military assistance to nations implicated in war crimes or obstructing US-backed humanitarian efforts.
“We believe continuing to transfer offensive weapons to the Israeli government prolongs the suffering of the Palestinian people and risks our own national security by sending a message to the world that the US will apply its laws, policies, and international law selectively,” the letter stated, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
The letter warned that failing to act would extend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military campaign in Gaza, further isolating Israel on the global stage and destabilizing the region.
Congressperson Greg Casar, one of the signatories, highlighted that US law prohibits the transfer of weapons to Israel if it fails to allow sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza. In a post on X, he stated, “Today, I’m leading 20 Members of Congress to demand that the Biden Admin withhold offensive weapons from the Israeli military. U.S. law is clear: if the Netanyahu government does not allow sufficient food & medicine to enter Gaza, then the U.S. cannot send weapons.”
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The Biden administration had previously issued an ultimatum to Israel in October, warning that failure to enable the flow of aid into Gaza within 30 days would result in consequences. Despite some progress, the lawmakers argued that Israel had overwhelmingly failed to meet the standards outlined in the administration’s directive.
Additionally, five Palestinians from Gaza, the West Bank, and the United States filed a lawsuit against the US State Department on Tuesday, accusing it of violating federal laws by supporting Israeli military actions. The lawsuit claims that US funding has enabled extrajudicial killings, torture, and other human rights abuses in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.