In response to action by Republican congressional leaders to delay the Biden administration’s resumption of critical, congressionally-appropriated humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, J Street’s President Jeremy Ben-Ami issued the following statement:

“Congressional Republicans are doubling down on the cruel policies of the Trump administration by putting a hold on the resumption of critical aid to the Palestinian people. The Biden administration should disburse this aid as instructed by law — as past administrations have done after due consultation with lawmakers and when faced with similar bad-faith abuse of that process.

“These lawmakers clearly view the Palestinian people as just another pawn to be used for partisan warfare against President Biden. The overwhelming majority of American Jews, however, want the US to promote genuine Israeli-Palestinian peace and a better future for both peoples, with full respect for the human rights and dignity of Palestinians.

“Holding up this aid isn’t pro-Israel. Israel’s own security establishment has repeatedly made clear that robust US aid benefiting the Palestinian people helps combat extremism and makes Israelis safer.

“Instead, this move is simply punitive and performatively anti-Palestinian. Republicans are delaying relief in an attempt to score political points, using dubious claims that the administration has provided insufficient information to Congress.”