3rd Thursday Action Alert: Tell the Administration and Congress to hold Israel accountable and end unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel

3rd Thursday Action Alert: Tell the Administration and Congress to hold Israel accountable and end unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel

On February 26, hundreds of Israeli settlers rampaged through the Palestinian village of Huwara near Nablus. During this spate of unchecked violence, eight homes were burned, 35 buildings were damaged, over 250 cars were set on fire, at least 120 Palestinians were injured, and one Palestinian man was killed.  While this attack is the worst instance of settler violence to date, violence against Palestinians by armed settlers is a daily occurrence. 

The attack on Huwara occurred after two Israeli settlers were killed by a Palestinian near the village earlier the same day. The killing of the settlers itself followed an Israeli attack on Nablus during which eleven Palestinians were killed and over 400 others were injured, 80 by live ammunition.  So far this year, at least 75 Palestinians, including 14 children, have been killed by the Israeli military and at least 13 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians.

We mourn all loss of life and seek an end to violence but seeking an end to acts of violence is not enough.  We must also seek an end to the structures of inequality and injustice that are at the roots of violence and conflict.  In Palestine and Israel, this means ending the Israel’s occupation and policies that discriminate against Palestinians.

Equality also means demanding accountability from all parties.  Palestinians responsible for violence are arrested or killed.  Their actions often result in disproportionate violence by the Israeli military, collective punishment, and settler attacks like the one that occurred in Huwara. 

But there is virtually no accountability for Israeli violations of Palestinian rights.  The deaths of Palestinian civilians are largely ignored and violence by settlers, often with military support, is only very rarely met with legal consequences.  Even high-profile killings, like the murder of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, are justified by the Israeli military and government. 

This is not a new problem.  March 16 is the 20th anniversary of the killing of American solidarity activist Rachel Corrie.  Her family has pushed for accountability for her killing for decades without success.

For change to occur there must be accountability and change.  That is why a group of ten churches and church-based organizations joined together this week in sending a letter to the Biden administration and Congress calling for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel and action to hold Israel accountable for ongoing gross violations of Palestinian rights.

The US is complicit in Israeli violence.  Today we ask you to join with these churches by calling for Israeli accountability and an end to unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel.