The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today said that if President Biden fulfills his pledge to sign the House Republicans’ unconditional $17.2 billion foreign aid package for the Israeli government, his decision could represent a “point of no return” for what remains of his administration’s relationship with the American Muslim community and the many other Americans opposed to the genocide in Gaza.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw said:
“If President Biden signs a bill giving Benjamin Netanyahu’s government another $17 billion in unconditional military funding, that heartless decision could mark the point of no return for what remains of the White House’s relationship with the American Muslim community and other Americans opposed to the genocide in Gaza.
“Our nation should not send another penny to the Israeli government while it starves and slaughters the people of Gaza, and any money we send to anyone overseas should—at the very least—include strict human rights conditions. Pouring billions more into the Netanyahu government’s hands while Gaza bleeds from a genocide that has claimed over 34,000 lives would be a betrayal that the American people will not forget.”
In response to the announcement of the House Republicans’ unconditional Israel aid package, President Biden stated on Wednesday that he would “sign this into law immediately.”
With the House of Representatives positioning itself to approve the package on Saturday, the Senate, after a one-week break will deliberate on the legislation when it reconvenes on April 29th, coinciding with the start of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) 9th Annual National Muslim Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill. CAIR encourages all eligible members of the American Muslim community to register and participate in this advocacy event.
If approved, the Israel aid package would still have a provision prohibiting any U.S. funds from this package from being allocated to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides aid to Palestinians. CAIR notes that this new aid package would offer $9.2 billion in humanitarian assistance, including for emergency food and shelter.
In December, Democrats in the Senate adopted an aid package for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel that would have supplied Israel with over $14 billion in military aid but failed to gain traction or approval in the House.
McCaw noted a special State Department panel advised Secretary of State Antony Blinken months ago to disqualify several Israeli military and police units from receiving U.S. aid. This recommendation came after the panel reviewed allegations of serious human rights abuses, including reports of interrogators engaging in torture and rape. Blinken has so far ignored these recommendations.
Last night, CAIR condemned the Biden administration’s veto of a U.N. resolution that could have resulted in full United Nations membership for the State of Palestine. The Security Council voted 12 in favor, with the United States opposed and two nations abstaining. According to recently leaked State Department cables reported by The Intercept, the White House privately messaged opposition to Palestinian statehood to U.N. Security Council members, contradicting Biden’s stated commitment to a two-state solution.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, 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