J Street welcomes an urgent congressional letter demanding the Biden Administration conduct a rigorous and transparent assessment of the Netanyahu government’s compliance with US law, which requires recipients of US security assistance to facilitate, and not directly or indirectly obstruct, US humanitarian aid. The letter is signed by 77 members of the House, many of whom sent a similar letter to the administration in May.
“Our concerns remain urgent and largely unresolved, including arbitrary restrictions on humanitarian aid and insufficient delivery routes, among others,” the letter reads, reflecting growing frustration in Congress at continued delays and dodges. “As a result, Gaza’s civilian population is facing dire famine.”
Led by J Street champions Representatives Jason Crow, Madeleine Dean and Chrissy Houlahan, the letter follows the Netanyahu government’s failure to meet clear humanitarian aid benchmarks outlined by the Biden Administration in a letter to the Israeli government on October 13. Long past the 30-day deadline for action, crossings remain closed, commercial deliveries remain suspended and North Gaza remains almost entirely cut off. The resulting toll on civilians in Gaza is increasingly catastrophic.
“Members of Congress are deeply frustrated by the White House’s failure to fully enforce our laws, in particular, humanitarian aid requirements. Backtracking from our own requests is a breach of our laws that makes America look weak, is costing lives in Gaza, and allowing Netanyahu to continue to degrade Israel’s reputation and mock our shared values. Enough is enough,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami. “As families desperately try to keep their children fed and secure shelter from the cold, President Biden still has an opportunity to show true moral leadership by doing everything in his power to save lives.”
US laws clearly prohibit unrestricted weapons transfers to partner governments found to be obstructing humanitarian aid, and outline a process for assessments and enforcement in such cases. President Biden has the authority to exempt Iron Dome and other defensive systems from any weapons pauses, and J Street urges him to do so.
“The administration should heed the call of its party members, its voters and the Jewish American community, which overwhelmingly support getting more aid into Gaza and easing the hellish conditions families continue to endure,” Ben-Ami added.