war crimes

Block the $20 billion weapons sale to Israel: urgent action needed

/ Tracy Abell / 11 Comments

I’m back again with a request for calls (or emails, if you’re phone-phobic)  to your Senators demanding* asking they support* co-sponsor tomorrow’s vote on the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval. This morning, over 100 protestors went to Capitol Hill (while a large crowd gathered in support outside) to demand Senators stop the $20 billion weapons sale to Israel. Dozens of protestors–faith leaders, plus climate, housing, Indigenous, Jewish, and Palestinian activists–are being arrested. For what? Demanding an end to the U.S. government using our taxes to fund and facilitate genocide. (As I write this, there are currently 7 Senators either co-sponsoring or on record in support of the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval: Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, Jeff Merkley, Tim Kaine, Brian Schatz, Elizabeth Warren, Chris Van Hollen.)

Image from US Campaign for Palestinian Rights email

Those courageous people are putting their bodies on the line, so let’s amplify their message and call/email our Senators. (You can also call the Capitol Switchboard operator to be connected with the Senate offices at 202. 224. 3121). NOTE: I’ve summarized talking points farther down this post.

Here’s background info from the Adalah Justice Project:

On Wednesday, the Senate is expected to vote on a historic set of bills to block a $20 billion weapons package to Israel. Sen. Bernie Sanders, along with Sens. Merkley and Welch, introduced joint resolutions of disapproval (JRDs) to stop the $20 billion sale. 

This is the first time in U.S. history that the Senate will vote on blocking weapon sales to Israel. 

Over the last month, the Israeli military has launched “a genocide within a genocide” – a campaign of mass slaughter and ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza are being starved. Essential aid like food and medicine hasn’t entered the north in weeks, and the hospitals are under siege.

According to multiple U.S. laws, the U.S. cannot provide weapons to any country that violates internationally recognized human rights or to any country that “prohibits or otherwise restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance.”

Israel is clearly in violation of these laws.

Not sure what else to say when you contact your Senators to demand ask they support co-sponsor the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval? Here are a few suggestions:

  • A June poll shows the majority of citizens are opposed to sending weapons to Israel (61% of all citizens, including 77% of Democrats and nearly 40% of Republicans)
  • Sending weapons to Israel violates U.S. laws regarding the delivery of humanitarian assistance
  • Rather than the billions for genocide and destruction, we desperately need meaningful action to address the climate crisis which is greatly accelerated by this genocidal siege.

PLEASE take two minutes to contact your Senators (also via Capitol Switchboard 202. 224. 3121) to demand ask they support co-sponsor the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval tomorrow.

Thank you in advance for taking action. I’d love to hear how your calls went so please let me know in the comments. Also? Share this info with family and friends to increase our impact. Solidarity! ✊🏾 FREE PALESTINE!

*After posting, I realized I was deviating from the request I’d received and so changed the wording accordingly. Apologies!

In our thousands, in our millions

/ Tracy Abell / 12 Comments

Note: I’m still feeling the affects of general anesthesia and pain medication, and ask that you excuse any typos and/or poorly stated thoughts in the following.

On Tuesday, I had some major dental work done. I’d known it was needed for a couple months and experienced quite a bit of anxiety in advance. However, that anxiety was greatly lessened by the knowledge that I’d be under general anesthesia. I recognize my privilege in all this, which boils down to: (A) me being able to afford that additional expense and (B) anesthesia being widely available in my community which isn’t under siege from an occupying power.

I cannot imagine having that work done without all that medication. As the nurse anesthesiologist prepped me Tuesday morning, I thought about Palestinians in Gaza forced to have limbs amputated without pain medication as the neighborhood around them is blown up by bombs the U.S. sends to Israel. I thought about Palestinian women giving birth while buried beneath rubble and others delivering their babies via cesarean without pain medication. I thought about how frightened I was to have my procedure, despite the calm circumstances

I won’t go into specific horrors inflicted on Gaza and the West Bank right now.  What I will say is that none of us are separate from what’s happening. The genocide, ethnic cleansing, displacement, starvation, rampant diseases, the Israeli settlers who devote their days to blocking humanitarian aid (some setting up a bouncy castle and others throwing a dance party), the plundering of Palestinian homes and possessions, etc. None of us are insulated against that brutality.

In our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians!

Ehab of DIRECT AID FOR GAZA

The powerful elites aren’t listening to our calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, but we can still alleviate a little pain and trauma. PLEASE, as you can:

  • UNRWA donation
  • Donate esims which allow people in Gaza to communicate with family, friends, and the outside world. Go to gazaesims.com to learn how to purchase and donate esims OR donate money HERE for the purchase and distribution of esims. NOTE: there are discount codes at both links.
  • Direct Aid to Gaza: donate via PayPal for mutual aid efforts in Gaza

I’ll stop here as I need to apply ice to my swollen face, but I thank you if you’ve read this far. Solidarity!