3rd Thursday Action Alert: Urge Congress to Enforce US Law and Protect Human Rights for Palestinians
This month, Palestinians commemorate 78 years since the Nakba, when 750,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes and displaced, becoming refugees throughout the Middle East. Many Palestinians describe the continuing displacement, denial of rights, Israeli occupation, settler and military violence, and military campaign against them, as the “ongoing Nakba.”
US policy, including diplomatic, political, and military assistance, play a key role in enabling Israel’s violations of Palestinians rights and of US law. Congress must press for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, accountability for Israel’s use of US-supplied weapons to commit violations of international law, ending settler violence and territorial expansion in the West Bank, and holding Israel accountable for its human rights violations of Palestinian prisoners.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is “dire,” according to the UN. More than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed there since October 2023, including over 600 since the October 2025 “ceasefire.” Israel continues to displace Palestinians and approve new settlements – illegal under international law – in the West Bank, including military and settler violence.
U.S. law, including laws governing foreign military assistance and the use of U.S.-provided arms such as Leahy Laws and section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, prevents the use of U.S. taxpayer-funded assistance to support unlawful harm to civilians, obstruct humanitarian relief, or support actions that violate human rights.
Contact your Congressional Representatives and Senators now to urge them to enforce US laws governing foreign military assistance by cosponsoring the Block the Bombs Act (H.R. 3565); the Food for Palestinian Children and Families in Gaza Act (H.R. 7565); and the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2025 (H.R.2411/S.898)
Sample message:
Dear Representative,
As your constituent, I request you to take action to ensure that U.S. policy toward Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories complies with U.S. law and basic human rights standards. U.S. military assistance and weapon sales to Israel must be banned as Israel continues its assault on the Palestinian population of Gaza, obstructs humanitarian aid and denies the entry of major humanitarian and medical materials and organizations, permits settler violence and territorial expansion, and commits human rights abuses against Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
I therefore write to you to request your support of immediate measures to ban military sales to Israel by enacting the provisions under the Leahy Laws and section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act which bar the U.S. from selling to any country which violates these laws. I urge you to cosponsor the Block the Bombs Act (H.R. 3565), the Food for Palestinian Children and Families in Gaza Act (H.R. 7565), and the UNRWA Restoration Act (H.R.2411).
As your constituent and a person of faith, I ask that you publicly support these bills. My faith calls us to be peacemakers and be people of nonviolence, and to uphold the dignity and worth of all people, created in the image of God. US support for Israel’s military campaigns and denial of access of needed humanitarian supplies is incongruent with that call.
Sincerely,