Sign-On Letter to Appropriations Subcommittee Opposing FY2009 Military Aid to Israel
TO: Senate and House Subcommittees on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Program, Appropriations Committees
We are writing to let you know that our
organizations oppose the President’s FY2009 budget request for $2.55 billion in
Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Israel, which would be a 9%
increase over actual spending in FY2007.This proposed increase is the first installment of a ten-year agreement
between the United States
and Israel, signed in August
2007, to increase military aid to Israel by 25%, totaling $30 billion
by FY2018.
Israel uses
weapons purchased through FMF to enforce its illegal 40-year military
occupation and siege of the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza
Strip and to commit human rights violations against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories
and against civilians in Lebanon. Israel’s
ongoing use of U.S.
weapons to enforce an illegal military occupation and to commit human rights
abuses places it in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and Foreign
Assistance Act.
The Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and
Related Programs must examine the President’s FY2009 budget request for $2.55
billion in FMF for Israel in
light of Israel’s violations
of these U.S.
laws. We urge the Subcommittee to hold Israel accountable for its violations of U.S. laws and
apply the appropriate sanctions for countries that violate its terms.As long as Israel
continues to violate U.S.
law, the United States
must cut off military aid, not increase it.
Signed by,
National Organizations
1. African
American Islamic Institute
2. American
Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
3. American
Friends Service Committee
4. American
Muslim Association of North America
5.
Benedictines for Peace
6. Code
Pink—Women for Peace
7.
Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism
8. Council for the National Interest
9. Episcopal
Peace Fellowship, Israel/Palestine Action Group
10.
Fellowship of Reconciliation USA
11. Freedom
Socialist Party
12. Friends
of Sabeel—North America
13.
Interfaith Peace-Builders
14.
Israel/Palestine Network of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
15. Global
Exchange
16. Green
Party of the United States,
International Committee
17. Jewish Voice for Peace
18. Muslim
American Society Freedom Foundation
19. Muslim
Student Association West
20. National
Lawyers Guild
21. Network
of Arab American Professionals
22. Peace Action
23.
Scientists without Borders
24. St.
Joan’s International Alliance—U.S. Chapter
25. Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East
26. United
for Peace and Justice
27. US
Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
28. Women's
International League for Peace and Freedom—U.S. Section
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