Only Eight in U.S. Congress Willing to Support the People of Gaza
Only Eight Members of the US Congress are willing
to do the right thing.
Where is the Iron Dome to protect innocent people in Gaza?
Why are their lives not worth as much as Israeli lives?
We need an answer.
_______________
Congress Passes
$225 Million
in Extra Military
Aid to Israel.
Which 8 in the US Congress
Had the Courage to Vote No?
Yesterday morning, Friday August 1st, the U. S. Senate took time off its debate about the refugee crisis to pass $225 million in supplementary
military aid for Israel to repair the Iron Dome missile defense system.
Israel has a GDP of over $300 billion and, at the end of last year and experienced its highest ever GDP per capita. It is a developed country with a booming tech sector.
Israel has the 
ability to pay
for its defense system itself.
It is mid-boggling to think that
the US pays for 23-25% of Israel’s
military budget each year.
One can easily think of countless more humane ways for the US to spend $225 million
(not to mention the $3.1 billion in total aid given each year).
Anyway, the bill, of course, passed the Senate by unanimous consent.
The House, however, took a vote on it. It passed easily but not unanimously: 395 to 8. Only 4 Democrats and 4 Republicans
voted against it.
The four Democrats were Keith Ellison (MN-05),
Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Jim Moran (VA-08,
and Beto O’Rourke (TX-16).
The four Republicans are Justin Amash (MI-03),
Walter Jones (NC-03), Tom Massie (KY-04),
and Mark Sanford (SC-01).
The four Republicans are all hardliners when it comes to spending, especially on foreign aid.
Keith Ellison is the only member of Congress
who has been calling for an end to Israel’s
blockade of Gaza.
Jim Moran was one of the co-signers of
Ellison’s letter urging a ceasefire.
Beto O’Rourke and Zoe Lofgren
have both been critical of
US foreign policy in the past.
Israel has killed more than
1,800 people in Gaza, including
more than 400 children, and has
targeted attacks on hospitals,
schools, mosques, universities,
and UN shelters. These are war
crimes and inexcusable. And it is disgusting to see such uncritical and slavish
displays of fealty to Israel. Those who do not object are complicit in these crimes.
Withholding military aid
would have been an effective bargaining chip for pushing
Israel to stop the killing, end
the occupations and honor human
rights and equity for all
Palestinians and people in Gaza.
But that would be
apparently too much to ask
of the craven individuals who
dominate Congress.
Edited excerpts come from
Original Publication at Daily Kos:
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