The Biden administration’s recently published “Conventional Arms Transfer Policy” (Section 2, Paragraph 7), also known as National Security Memo 18/NSM-18, holds that the United States government has a duty to “prevent arms transfers that risk facilitating or otherwise contributing to violations of human rights or international humanitarian law.”

Further, under amendments to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, 22 U.S. Code 2378d and 10 U.S. Code 362, (collectively known as the Leahy Law) prohibits the U.S. Government from using funds for assistance to units of foreign security forces where there is credible information implicating that unit in the commission of gross violations of human rights.

The $1.2 trillion spending bill just signed into law violates both precedents by greenlighting $3.8 billion in funding and military aid to Israel despite overwhelming evidence the Israeli Defense Forces are actively committing genocidal war crimes in Gaza.

The recent report by the State Department concluding that Israel is not in violation of NSM-18 is a profound fabrication that even members of Biden’s own party don’t align with as indicated in a letter they sent to the president, in which they specifically question the credibility of information provided by Prime Minister Netanyahu.

We demand a fully independent investigation conducted by the United Nations Security Council as well as the 17 Senators who signed the March 22, 2023 letter to President Biden into the legality of the billions for direct military aid approved by Congress and President Biden since the start of Israel’s ethnic cleansing campaign in Gaza.

If criminal charges are found to be warranted, we support a prosecution by the International Criminal Court. Add your name if you agree.

BACKGROUND:

On March 22, 2024, Congress passed a $1.2 spending bill meant to fund the essential functions of our federal government. Hidden in the bill were multiple irrelevant measures including an extended ban on funding for UNRWA (the Palestinian Refugee relief agency), sanctioning the United Nations if they investigate Israeli war crimes, and most troubling – authorizing another $3.8 billion in funding and military aid for Israel despite their government openly flouting U.S. and international human rights law.

This bill was bipartisan, passing with broad support from members of both major parties, making our political duopoly fully complicit in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

All people of conscience should be appalled that our lawmakers, without hesitation, sacrificed the humanity and self-determination of Palestinian people as a condition for funding the normal functions of our federal government.

The far-right government of Israel has repeatedly stated their intent to exterminate and permanently expel Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank. Now the American public is directly funding that extermination through the actions of our elected officials.

As we approach six months of this genocide, the situation in Gaza is increasingly dire. In January, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s assault on Gaza could plausibly be called a genocide, and required Israel to allow aid to enter Gaza even as a final ruling is pending. On March 28, 2024, the ICJ reiterated that order and stipulated that Israel must allow unhindered aid into Gaza immediately, must not commit acts which violate Palestinian rights as a protected group, and must report their conduct to the Court.

Benjamin Netanyahu has been exposed on the world stage as a flagrant war criminal, and he deserves to be investigated and prosecuted. But Netanyahu could not conduct his crimes without the substantial and ongoing financial and military support of the United States government.

As such, we demand an independent investigation by the International Criminal Court to determine if charges of war crimes are appropriate for any elected U.S. official providing material support for Israel’s ongoing genocide.

There is no peace without justice. We need an immediate ceasefire, an end to the slaughter in Gaza, and full release of BOTH Israeli hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian hostages held in Israeli prisons. But to secure a permanent ceasefire and an end to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, we must have accountability for these war crimes.