J Street welcomes an important new congressional sign-on letter that asks the Trump administration to do more to oppose the Israeli government’s demolition and displacement of Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank, and to determine whether materiel purchased from or funded by the United States is being used to carry out these demolitions.

The letter to Secretary of State Pompeo is being circulated this week by Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Steve Cohen (D-TN). Expressing concern over ongoing demolitions in the West Bank, it notes that the United States “should work to prevent unlawful home demolitions and the forcible transfer of civilians everywhere in the world and prevent the use of U.S.-origin equipment in this destructive practice,” and requests an examination of Israeli compliance with the provisions of the Arms Export Control Act.

This week, J Street supporters across the country are contacting the offices of their members of Congress and urging them to sign on to this important and timely letter. As supporters of pledged US aid to Israel, we believe this letter sends an important message that the full amount of US security aid and equipment provided to and purchased by our ally should be used for legitimate self-defense against the very real security threats it faces — and not to carry out policies that undermine US interests, trample on human rights and potentially violate US law.