The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said that the next Congress should hold regular votes to end all military aid and arms transfers to the Israeli government following disturbing revelations confirming that Israeli drone operators have been given free rein to target and kill anyone in Gaza.
The Israeli media outlet Haaretz exposed how Israeli forces systematically deploy armed quadcopters and drones to conduct extrajudicial executions and targeted attacks against unarmed civilians—including women, children, aid workers, and journalists—without restraint or accountability.
Israeli soldiers told Haaretz:
“I asked to meet with the commander to upload targets to the computer, and he told me, ‘You have two million targets in Gaza.’ He meant that the two million people there were the targets.”
“I realized that anyone can kill whoever they want, as much as they want, and they will not be held accountable for it.” (Translation from Hebrew)
[NOTE: On Sunday, Israel murdered an eight-year-old Palestinian girl only hours after she returned to school for the start of the new academic year.]
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“The shocking – but entirely expected – revelations that Israeli drone operators operate with total impunity, viewing human lives as mere targets in a video game, represent the absolute disregard for international law and basic humanity. American tax dollars cannot continue to fund these war crimes. If the current Congress will not uphold American law, the next Congress must vote to do so. Congressional leaders, whoever they are next year, should hold regular votes to cut off all military aid and sales to the Israeli government. If the Israeli government is going to consistently slaughter children and other innocent people with American weapons, every member of Congress should consistently go on the record to support or oppose these crimes.”
CAIR noted that U.S. laws governing foreign assistance, including the Leahy Law and the Foreign Assistance Act, prohibit weapons transfers to forces committing gross violations of human rights.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]