September/October 2007 Postcard

Downloadable PDF (146 KB)

Cut and paste html (for emailing your Sen. or Rep.:

DEAR SENATOR:

I URGE YOU TO OPPOSE a $30 billion military aid package to Israel. According to reports I’ve read, President George W. Bush plans to increase military aid to Israel by 25 percent—from $2.4 billion to $3 billion per year, guaranteed for the next 10 years.

Barely larger than New Jersey, Israel has been the largest recipient of U.S. foreign assistance for almost 30 years. Israel is the only country allowed to spend U.S. military aid to develop and buy weapons domestically. As a result it now ranks as the world’s fourth-largest arms supplier, after the U.S., Russia and France. Israel has even been known to sell modified versions of our own U.S. weapons to countries we consider strategic threats.

Americans have needs here at home. Our economy, infrastructure (including roads, bridges, and levees), schools, and health care system are in bad shape. Don’t spend my precious tax dollars on more weapons for Israel.

FROM:

Address:

City, State, Zip:

An Israeli soldier cleans his weapon following a July 6, 2007 commando-style raid into Gaza’s Mughazi refugee camp which killed 11 Palestinians. (AFP Photo/David Furst).

Israel routinely violates the U.S. Arms Export
Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act by using U.S. weapons to commit human rights violations.

Israel illegally used U.S. weapons, including
cluster bombs, and even phosphorus shells—
banned under the Geneva Conventions—when
it carried out attacks on civilians in Lebanon
and Gaza last summer.

Israel regularly fires missiles from helicopter
gunships in areas crowded with Palestinian civilians; tortures prisoners; and bulldozes homes, businesses and orchards. Israel is starving Gazans by withholding tax dollars, and preventing electricity, mail, water, food, humanitarian aid and salaries from reaching Palestinians imprisoned behind Gaza’s Israeli-controlled borders.

The United States is financially rewarding Israel with a $30 billion arms care package at a time when Tel Aviv is flouting international law and ignoring Arab peace overtures.