Congress must also condemn reported U.S. backing for renewed Israeli campaign of forced starvation and forced displacement in the West Bank.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, is calling on all Americans to urge their members of Congress in the U.S. House and Senate to condemn the far-right Israeli government’s decision to block all humanitarian aid entering Gaza—recognized as a war crime under international law—while also denouncing Israel’s latest forced displacement and ethnic cleansing campaign in the West Bank.
Media reports indicate that “the Israeli decision to halt aid into Gaza was coordinated with the Trump administration.”
TAKE ACTION: URGE CONGRESS TO CONDEMN ISRAEL’S LATEST ACT OF GENOCIDE IN GAZA
According to the International Criminal Court (ICC), “Intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supplies as provided for under the Geneva Conventions,” is a war crime. Moreover, since the launch of Israel’s military operation “Iron Wall” on January 21, at least 45,000 Palestinians in the northern West Bank have been forcibly displaced, and 33 killed—including 12 children. For the first time in 20 years, Israel has deployed tanks to the occupied West Bank, announcing it will continue its operation throughout the “coming year” and barring evacuated residents from returning.
Recent reports also indicate that the updated death toll from Israel’s genocide in Gaza has now surpassed 61,000—primarily women and children—while thousands more remain missing and presumed dead.
Last year, CAIR welcomed arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza genocide, with the court finding both men “bear criminal responsibility for the following crimes as co-perpetrators for committing the acts jointly with others: the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”
Internationally-respected organizations like Human Rights Watch say, “The Israeli government is using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in the Gaza Strip, which is a war crime.” Amnesty International has concluded that “Israel has committed and is continuing to commit genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip,” and a UN Special Committee said: “Israel’s warfare in Gaza is consistent with the characteristics of genocide.”
CAIR’s action alert will urge Congress to: “Immediately condemn the decision by the far-right government of indicted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu to block all humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Gaza during Ramadan as a clear war crime and finally accept that this is evidence of Israel’s genocidal intent,” to “block any new U.S. supplied military aid or sales to Israel while it is in breach of the current ceasefire agreement in Gaza as it renews its cruel and illegal campaign of forced starvation,” and “to denounce the forced displacement and ethnic cleansing being carried out in the West Bank under Operation ‘Iron Wall.’”
Last week, CAIR welcomed a decision by the governments of South Africa, Malaysia, and Colombia to prevent ships carrying weapons shipments for Israel from using their ports. CAIR also urged other nations to follow suit.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Director of Government Affairs Department Robert S. McCaw, 202-716-6242, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com