‘No $ 1’: US lawmaker calls for end to complicity in Israeli abuses News of Human Rights

In recent years, U.S. lawmaker Betty McCollum has tried to spark debate in the United States about the billions of dollars Washington sends to Israel each year.

The Democrat in Minnesota wants to know where the money is going, while Israel assures that U.S. military support is not for human rights violations against Palestinians.

Last month, McCollum unveiled his latest bill, aimed at aiding U.S. aid in abuses against Palestinian children, destroying Palestinian property, removing Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, or securing Israel’s retention of more Palestinian land. .

The proposed legislation has the support of more than a dozen members of Congress and Palestinian, human rights and Jewish organizations, including J Street, and has angered pro-Israel supporters, arguing a massive aid package ($ 3.8 billion annually) is necessary to protect the main ally of the US Middle East.

Although he would not have enough votes to move forward, Palestinian defenders say the proposal is so opening the necessary discussion About US support for Israel and violations of Israeli rights against Palestinians.

McCollum’s efforts have renewed attention this week as the Israeli authorities threatened to expel several Palestinian families illegally occupied from the Sheikh Jarrah district of East Jerusalem to make way for Jewish settlers.

Violence against Palestinian police #SheikhJarrah it is state-sponsored harassment for those who want to live alone in homes that have been inhabited for generations. U.S. taxpayer dollars would not allow the annexation of Palestinian land or the destruction of Palestinian homes. # HR2590

– Representative Betty McCollum (@ BettyMcCollum04) May 6, 2021

“Police violence against Palestinians who want to be alone in the homes they have lived in is state-sponsored harassment in #SheikhJarrah,” McCollum tweeted on May 6th. Palestinian houses “.

Talk to Al Jazeera by email the latest violence in Jerusalem, McCollum explained his bill and what he expects to achieve.

Al Jazeera: Why is this bill necessary?

Betty McCollum: Millions of Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem face conditions of repression during the Israeli military occupation, which systematically violates their human rights. US military aid to Israel allows for occupation. My bill prohibits U.S. funds from protecting or permitting human rights violations.

No $ 1 of U.S. taxpayer funds should be used to violate human rights for Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation.

Al Jazeera: The measure has attracted a lot of attention in Congress and among groups working on Israeli-Palestinian issues in the US. Why do you think the idea of ​​conditioning US aid on Israel is so controversial?

McCollum: In Congress, Israel is seen as a special democracy that shares our values, as well as important bilateral security goals. But Israel’s military detention of Palestinian children, the demolition of Palestinian homes, and the unilateral annexation of Palestinian territories are actions that the Americans do not support and do not reflect our values.

The dehumanization of the Palestinian country has been such an effective narrative that 75 percent of Congress does not want a complete reduction in US military aid to Israel, effectively protecting the systemic repression of Palestinian society.

Al Jazeera: Have you seen any sudden changes among U.S. lawmakers regarding Washington’s unconditional support for Israel? If so, how do you explain these changing attitudes?

McCollum: There is a main group of brave colleagues who seek out the facts and tell the truth. They are ready to stand up for the rights of Palestinians because they recognize that Palestinians are human beings who have rights and deserve to be treated with dignity. It seems appropriate to the majority in Congress to demonize the Palestinians and support Israel’s policies of systemic persecution. There is also a group that is uncomfortable with Israeli actions, but is not ready to take the situation into account.

The change will not be made overnight or through an invoice. The U.S. country will arrive when our tax dollars no longer support the systemic persecution of the Palestinian people – and public pressure from elected officials is significant enough to bring about change.

Al Jazeera: More than 300 members of Congress have signed the letter Asking for help from Israel being unconditional. “Reducing funding or increasing security assistance conditions would damage Israel’s ability to defend itself against all threats,” he says. What is the answer to this?

McCollum: By refusing to impose clear restrictions on Israel’s military aid, the Congress gives the green light to Israelis to violate the human rights of Palestinian children, demolish Palestinian homes, and annex Palestinian lands.

Congress knows that Israel is committing systemic persecution and human rights violations against the Palestinian people, and this letter says, “We don’t care and we will actually continue to look the other way!”

Al Jazeera: What level of support do you think the bill has in Congress?

McCollum: The purpose of my bill is to recognize the humanity of the Palestinian people and to condemn their repression. At a time when systemic racism in U.S. history and discrimination in our country are being exposed and marginalized, why is our government helping to fund the repression and abuse of the Palestinian people?

My hope is that civil society, faith groups, and civil and human rights advocates will put pressure on Congress to limit US support for the military occupation of Israel and the dehumanization of the Palestinian people.