Seventy-five American organizations have called on president Joe Biden and the Congress to impose an immediate arms embargo on the Israeli government.
In a joint statement on Saturday, the organizations said that a permanent ceasefire requires Washington to exert pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by ending the flow of weapons.
The statement added that Netanyahu’s government has utilized US support and weapons to kill nearly 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including 15,000 children, wiping out entire generations of Palestinian families in Gaza.
The statement emphasized that it is impossible to claim to be working towards peace while simultaneously sending the weapons that enable atrocities.
It further stated that “halting the sale and transfer of arms to Israel represents the first step towards building a future where Palestinians and Israelis live in safety, equality, freedom, and justice.”
The statement urged the US government to spend money on domestic issues such as healthcare and housing instead of supporting violence abroad.
Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, the US administration has provided nearly 21,000 guided munitions to the Israeli army. Washington has directly airlifted the weapons and has invoked emergency provisions twice to bypass Congress approval.
