Fourteen members of the US Congress yesterday wrote President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging them to ensure that American taxpayers’ money does not go to illegal Israeli settlements or to support Israeli violation of Palestinian human rights. The Congresspeople, headed by Representative Jamaal Bowman and Senator Bernie Sanders, expressed their concern about the escalation in violence in the occupied West Bank and the actions of the new Israeli far-right government. ‘We write to you with deep concern regarding the rapidly escalating violence in the occupied Palestinian West Bank and the alarming actions of the new extreme right-wing Israeli government,’ said the congresspeople in the letter signed by 14 lawmakers. They asked the US administration ‘to undertake a shift in US policy in recognition of the worsening violence, further annexation of land, and denial of Palestinian rights. Only by protecting democracy, human rights, and self-determination of all Palestinians and Israelis can we achieve a lasting peace.’ The congresspeople urged Biden and Blinken to ‘ensure US taxpayer funds do not support projects in illegal settlement’ and ‘determine whether US-origin defense articles have been used in violation of existing US laws.’ They also called on the US administration ‘to ensure that all future foreign assistance to Israel, including weapons and equipment, is not used to support gross violations of human rights, including by strengthening end-use monitoring and financial tracking.’

Source: Palestine News & Information Agency (WAFA)