More than 70 local and national organizations in the United States joined forces to send a compelling letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging immediate action in response to an escalation in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian villages.
In their letter, the organizations, including prominent groups like Texas Arab American Democrats (TADD), the American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine, and the Palestinian American Organizations Network, requested a swift crisis-response meeting with concerned American organizations and organizers to address the pressing issues at hand.
The letter highlighted recent attacks on Palestinian villages, such as Al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya and Turmusaya in the occupied West Bank.
These attacks resulted in the destruction of property, including arson and stone-throwing, leading to severe damage to cars, homes and businesses.
The letter expressed deep concern over the injuries sustained by numerous Palestinians from live fire, inflicted either by settlers or soldiers, indicating a grave failure on the part of Israeli authorities to protect Palestinian lives and property.
Moreover, the letter drew attention to the large-scale military assaults by Israel in the cities of Jenin and Nablus in the occupied West Bank. Israel was accused of conducting airstrikes on buildings while armored vehicles advanced through civilian neighborhoods, resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives, including children and women.
The letter specifically mentioned the targeted attacks on apartment buildings, medics, ambulances, journalists and media centers in Jenin.
Israeli forces and settlers are held responsible for the deaths of more than 163 Palestinians, including 27 children, in the current year alone.
Reports indicated that over 129 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli military and settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, with an additional 34 Palestinians reported killed in the Gaza Strip.
In light of these distressing developments, the organizations strongly urged the Biden administration to take decisive action by holding Israel accountable and enforcing the Leahy Law.
They emphasized the need to ensure that not a single dollar of U.S. military aid to Israel was misused for purposes such as the military detention of Palestinian children, the demolition of Palestinian homes, or the annexation of Palestinian territories.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the organizations implored the administration to prioritize the protection of Palestinians, including American Palestinians, in the West Bank and Gaza, and to address the injustices they faced.
Additionally, they requested a meeting with concerned organizations to discuss these urgent matters and explore collaborative solutions.