Article Summary –
A coalition of 12 liberal organizations and labor unions, including MoveOn, the Working Families Party, the Center for American Progress, and NextGen America, has sent a letter to President Biden demanding the cessation of military aid to Israel until it lifts restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza. The letter calls on President Biden to enforce the Foreign Assistance Act, which bars military support to nations that restrict the delivery of humanitarian aid. This move reflects a shift in mainstream Democratic opinion regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza and suggests that Biden could lose support from key parts of the Democratic coalition if there isn’t a significant change in American position towards the war.
Coalition Urges Biden to Stop Military Aid to Israel
Last Thursday, a dozen liberal organizations and labor unions, including the Working Families Party, MoveOn, and Center for American Progress, called for President Biden to halt military aid to Israel. Their demand comes as Israel continues to restrict humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The coalition, which includes other critical Democratic Party elements like the National Education Association and the Service Employees International Union, sent a letter invoking the Foreign Assistance Act, which prohibits military support to countries that obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The letter emphasizes that the Netanyahu government is not exempt from the law and that the US will not condone the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s escalation and resultant innocent Palestinian deaths. It further states that according to US law, countries blocking US humanitarian aid should not receive US military aid.
NextGen America’s president, Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez, warned that the Democratic coalition’s significant segment could withdraw their support from Biden if the US position on the Gaza war doesn’t change. She raised concerns about the administration’s political survival and the moral implications of the ongoing crisis.
Last week, Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that the US might withhold its support if Israel did not take steps to protect civilians and ensure adequate supplies for Gaza. He reiterated that getting more aid into Gaza was a priority.
The White House and Biden’s campaign have refused to comment on the letter. Biden is under increasing pressure from the Democratic Party as the conflict in Gaza enters its seventh month. Local health authorities report over 33,000 deaths in Gaza, with 1,200 killed in Israel post the Hamas attack that started the conflict. Israeli officials estimate about 130 hostages remaining in Gaza, with at least 30 presumed dead.
Similar demands were made to Biden last month by Senator Bernie Sanders and seven Democratic senators. Biden has since expressed growing frustration with Israel’s conduct in the Gaza war, especially the Israeli airstrike that killed seven members of a World Central Kitchen aid convoy.
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