Demand Progress

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Ceasefire deals throughout the war on Gaza. Israel’s recent airstrikes in Gaza and Beirut, and ground invasion in Lebanon, was part of a misguided, deadly plan of “escalation to de-escalation.”¹ That escalation led Iran to fire missiles into Israel. Now Netanyahu is warning people to flee southern Lebanon.

There have been countless options on the table for diplomatic peace deals that would free hostages and end the violence against the Palestinian people. But Netanyahu has refused peace — and our elected leaders have continued sending Israel funding and weapons. That must end, so this illegal and immoral war can end.

Sign the petition: Tell Congress to support Bernie Sanders’s legislation to block a $20 billion weapons sale to Israel.

Senators like Tim Kaine, Jeff Merkley, and Peter Welch have joined Sen. Sanders in expressing support for ending offensive weapons shipments to Israel.^2,3

U.S. funding and weapons shipments for Israel’s military should’ve ended a long time ago because of the civilian toll of Netanyahu’s onslaught on Gaza and because Israel violated international law by blocking aid to Palestinians.

Hamas's attacks beginning on October 7 must be condemned but Israel's response has been disproportionate and taken an extraordinary civilian toll — all while America has supplied the bombs and funding Israel has used to kill tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Now is the time to take steps towards ending U.S. support for Netanyahu’s devastating wars on Gaza and Lebanon by passing Sen. Sanders’s resolutions.

Sign the petition: Block $20 billion of weapons to Israel!

Sources:

1. Al Jazeera, “Israel 'escalates to de-escalate' with Hezbollah,” September 27, 2024.
2. Office of Senator Tim Kaine, “Kaine Statement on Effort to Block Select Weapons Transfers to Israel,” September 26, 2024.
3. Office of Senator Bernie Sanders, “NEWS: Sanders and Colleagues Move to Block Arms Sales to Israel,” September 25, 2024.