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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