A call for leadership in the current Middle East escalation

author : Annamarie Murano topic : Israel Lobby | Palestine

On July 18 and 19, the US Senate unanimously and the House near-unanimously passed AIPAC-backed resolutions in complete support of Israeli aggression in the Middle East. Meanwhile, concerned voters have composed a letter calling for more responsible leadership from local elected representatives in the escalating crisis.

To add your name to the letter, email ammurano@gmail.com and include your name, address and congressional district as soon as possible.

To the Honorable Senators Murray and Cantwell and Representatives Baird and Smith:

We write as constituents who are gravely concerned by the escalating violence in Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon and by the lack of an adequate U.S. response to the situation. Our concern extends to all of the people in the region. We oppose the human rights violations being committed on all sides, but we are shocked by the Israeli military's ongoing, disproportionate actions against civilians in Palestine and Lebanon and by the devastating destruction of civilian infrastructure in both places.

Writing about the assault on Gaza, Rabbi Michael Lerner wrote, "This is a defining moment in our relationship with Israel for all Americans of whatever faith. Just as we need to make clear to our own government that its human rights violations in Guantanamo and Iraq are unacceptable, so we need to communicate to the Israeli people that the mass punishment of a million people for the acts of a few is as unacceptable when it comes from a democratic society as when it comes from the willful oppression of entrenched authoritarian dictators."

As a U.S. lawmaker, you are in a unique position to challenge the current situation by insisting that both sides in the conflict uphold international law and respect for basic rights. To that end, we ask that you, our elected representative, take the following steps:

1) In the strongest possible terms, insist that Israel immediately end its assault on Gaza and Lebanon and seek a negotiated, diplomatic solution to the current problems. Those negotiations should address the following:

a)Safe return of Israeli soldiers, but also the release of illegally held Palestinian political prisoners, especially minors.

b)The immediate halt of the Israeli shelling of Gaza that has occurred consistently for the past months; and the immediate cessation of all rocket fire at Israeli towns.

2) Communicate to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and President Bush that an immediate ceasefire, diplomacy and negotiations, not support for continuing violence, must be the route to resolving current issues. Ask them to demand that Israel stop its disproportionate assaults on Gaza and Lebanon and to insist that all civilians (Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese) are protected.

3) Take action in Congress to address the Israeli Government's violations of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act during the recent assaults. Furthermore, hold the Israeli Government accountable for these violations by cutting off financial and military aid as required by U.S. law.

4) We understand that the Gaza electrical generating plant destroyed by Israel was originally built by Enron, and later bought out by Morganti, a Connecticut company that insured the plant for $48 million through the U.S. taxpayer-funded Overseas Private Insurance Corporation, the U.S. government-sponsored "insurance agency of last resort." We further understand that after Israel used U.S. taxpayer-funded F-16 bombers, Apache helicopters, and hellfire missiles to destroy the U.S.-built plant, Morganti notified OPIC that it wants $48 million in insurance money. Please investigate the facts of this situation and if they are true, call for the Israeli government to pay this $48 million -- if necessary, out of the annual $3 billion in military aid to Israel. Please, also, investigate the implications to American taxpayers and to future U.S. projects in Gaza should OPIC end up footing this bill instead of the Israeli Government.

5) Finally, when you are back in the district, we request a meeting with you personally to discuss your responses to this letter, your positions on this issue, and how we might best help to keep you informed about it.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Your Constituents