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Top Line: J Street urges Congress to ensure that US offensive weapons are not being used to continue the war in Gaza or to support de jure or de facto annexation of the West Bank, including through settler violence.
What is the US arms policy that J Street is calling for Congress to legislate?
- Prohibit the use of American weapons in the war in Gaza unless Israel puts forward a credible proposal to end the war and free the hostages, and provides a massive surge in humanitarian aid that alleviates the humanitarian crisis.
- Prohibit the use of American weapons to displace and destroy Palestinian communities in the West Bank, or to directly or indirectly support settler violence against Palestinians.
- Codify that any formal annexation of territory in the West Bank or Gaza will fundamentally damage the US-Israel relationship and trigger the suspension of future offensive arms transfers.
- The US should remain committed to providing defensive systems, including Iron Dome, to ensure the protection of civilians from attacks by terrorist groups and hostile states.
Why is J Street advocating for this position?
The Netanyahu government’s recent escalations in Gaza and the West Bank threaten Israel’s long-term security, global standing, and viability as a liberal, democratic ally to the US. They are deeply harmful to Palestinians and inconsistent with Jewish values and international law. These actions include:
- Launching its Gaza City invasion and creating the potential for another mass displacement of Palestinians, despite strong opposition from the IDF Chief of Staff and the Israeli public.
- The continued horrific humanitarian situation in Gaza, as well as the scale of civilian casualties and the devastation to society and infrastructure in Gaza.
- Unprecedented levels of settler violence, settlement construction, displacement and demolitions of Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
- Approval of settlements in E-1, designed to bisect the West Bank and sever it from East Jerusalem, combined with growing threats to officially annex parts of the West Bank.
Considered together, these escalations make clear that the Israeli government is choosing annexation and endless war over diplomacy and peace. US weapons should be used for defense, not to enable policies that endanger Israel’s security, undermine its democratic nature, and deepen Israel’s and the US’s isolation on the world stage. The US should use its leverage to ensure that its arms are not being used in order to advance policies or actions that are inconsistent with US and international law. Instead, the US should support Israel in moving towards a path of peace, sustainable security, and regional integration.
