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| Palestine Sample Letter send to your congressman |
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| yunus |
| 06/25/02 at 23:37:40 |
| Salaam Below is a sample letter people can use to Base a letter that they would to their congressman this is a good way for people who are concerned about Palestine but maybe would be afraid to go to a rally but want to follow the example of the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him and speak a true word in the presence of an unjust ruler. All you need to do is copy paste print out letter i have sent and use some of the points and information to put pressure on Mr Mcnulty. All it will cost you is 15-20 minutes of your time and 34 cents This is very important for people to do and is their right to do so which is afforded in the US law. You can find out who your congressman is at www.house.gov contact info is located there Here is the letter is sent Please use information regarding illegallity of US military aid to Israel: Hello My name is Michael Fiske I have been in a lengthly communication with Mr. Mcnutly staff regarding the question of Israel and the illegal occupation of Palestine. Here in the capital district I am working with a coalition of activists of all faiths (in fact the majority of the group is composed by Jews) who are concerned with this brutal occupation and are working towards a just solution that would support self determination of both peoples. Also I am the liaison for a national organization based in DC called SUSTAIN (stop US tax aid to Israel Now) I understand his position on this issue. Albeit I believe it is the wrong stance and is biased and unjust. Like Mr. McNulty I think that Suicide bombings are morally repugnant and Palestinian attacks against civilians must stop. Suicide bombings have done a disservice to the Palestinian cause and that they need to have a non violent movement in the spirt of Ghandi and Dr. King. While Mr McNulty has condemned the actions of the suicide bombers he has not condemned the actions of the IDF and it attacks on civilians which to say the least is biased and shameful. How can he support a people who not only violate international law on a daily bases but commit terroristic acts against Palestinian civilians (such as bulldozing houses, shooting children,imposing curfews, having a biased and apartheid system that has Jews only roads, ethnic cleansing through the building of settlements, and treating a race of people as if they were animals)? I digress my purpose for this email is to ask this question: In my most recent letter from you, you stated that US aid to Israel is not illegal. I want clarification on this. As someone who is on the ways and means committee and helps decide where money goes you are the expart. this year congress allocated 2.76 billion in direct aid to Israel 2.04 billion of which is allocated for military purposes. Your statement that aid to Israel is not illegal does not clarify whether you are speaking categorically or about economic or military aid. As for economic aid you are correct it is not illegal to send economic aid to Israel as for military aid from my understanding of the law that is a different story. The US Foreign Assistance Act prohibits military assistance to any country "which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights." Further the Proxmire amendment bans military assistance to any government that refuses to sign the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and to allow inspection of its nuclear facilities which Israel refuses to do so. If your argument is based around the fact that Israel does no engage in a consistent pattern of human rights violations that is a very hard position of take. What could we define as internationally recognized human rights? How about we use the UN document the universal Declaration of human rights which states that "the refugees wishing to return to their homeland should be permitted to do so at the earliest possible date.... compensation should be paid for property for those choosing not to return". Since 1948 Israel consistently has refused to allow the 1948 refugees to return to Israel and has not paid compensation to them. This is a clear violation of a international recognized human right. Further in a 1 year period of September 28 2000 to September 13 2001 there were 842 documented cases of Palestinian civilians deaths 242 of which were children 20,000 were injured 2,000 permantly disabled. Israel destroyed 3,669,000 square meters of farm land uprooted 112,900 olive trees and destroyed 1,368 civilians houses (primarily from bulldozing) leaving thousands homeless all this in just 1 year. Further Israel closed 41 schools, 4 schools were turned into military barracks, 30 schools were shelled and fired on and 43 students were killed on there way to and from school all in a one year period. These forms of collective punishment violate the 4th Geneva convention article 33 which states "no protected person may be punished for an offense he or she did not personally commit, collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited pillage is prohibited reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited". This shows another clear violation of international accepted law which protects peoples human rights. Israel has violated article 33 on a repeated basis. This is done by Israel's collective punishment through house destruction,curfews,check points, illegal seizure of land, destruction of schools, killing of civilians by snipers, destruction of property etc. Again Further article 147 of the 4th Geneva convention states "willful killing, torture,or inhuman treatment..... is prohibited". Israeli law allows for torture of prisoners. Again another clear violation. I do not know if you were informed of these statistics and information but please check them to make sure that I am not lieing to you specifically view the US foreign assistance act and the Proxmire amendments of the Nuclear Non proliferation treaty. These seem to clearly show that Military assistance to Israel is illegal until Israel stops it repeated violations of international recognized human rights such as the Universal Declaration of Human rights and stipulations in the 4th Geneva convention and also until it signs the nuclear non proliferation treaty. Also the arms export control act stipulates that US-supplied weapons be used only for "legitimate self defense" It is highly debatable to say that the armored bulldozers US supplies Israel with to destroy civilians houses is a legitimate defense. Also whether targeting children who are maybe some are throwing stones is legitimate. Or bombing camps and houses killing vast numbers of civilians is legitimate. Or by using our weapons of destruction to protect illegal settlement is legitimate. Or even using our weapons to further an illegal occupation is legitimate. Congressman John Conyers (d MI) has already requested that Mr Bush investigate whether Israel's use of American F 16s is violating the Arms Export Control Act. No investigation as thus far commenced. Also Senator Robert Byrd (D WV) recently complained about giving aid without conditions "There are no strings on the money. There is no requirement that the bloodshed abate before funding is releases." If you were to raise the issues concerning aid focusing on the illegality of sending military aid under the Foreign Assistance act and the Proxmire amendment you would not be the first congressman to voice compliant about military aid to Israel. I would like you to clarify your statement that US military aid to Israel (regardless of the amount or the fact it may have decreased by a few million) is not illegal in light of what I have shown. If you believe that we must still support Israel and send military aid to them. Then please change the law. As it stands now it seems clear that military aid is illegal. You are the one who can purpose bills. Please amend the law if you feel so strongly that we must still send aid to Israel. Come forward with three new bills. One that states that we send military aid to any country regardless of consistent pattern of violations of internationally recognized human rights. The other which states that regardless of a country's signature on the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty we will send military aid to them. The third which states that we will arm any country regardless of what their purpose for having these weapons is. I doubt the widespread popularity of any of these bills (if they were to pass) but at least then military aid to Israel would at the very least be legal (although not just). As is right now all military aid to Israel must cease. Not only is the money illegally sent there. But the US tax payer is the tool for destruction against the Palestinian peoples. Our hands have been stained by their blood. Also we are furthering the illegal occupation a crusade which Israel spends 2 billion a year on. How can you support terrorism committed by the IDF (Israel defense forces)? Why is the life of an Israeli more important then a Palestinian? What is the difference between suicide bombing and dropping rockets or bombs indiscriminately on a refugee camp? By sending aid to further the occupation we are creating an endless cycle of violence. We ask the Palestinian to stop targeting civilians in there attacks why do we not ask the same of Israel's? Please I implore you to stop military aid to Israel and follow the law of the United States of America which you and your predecessors have created, or change it (which you have the ability to do). I would like to believe that you are a man of principles and values that stands for the law and for justice. Please do the right thing. Know that God is watching you and sees and hears all that you do and you will be taking in to account for them. As a Christian shouldn't you be promoting peace not supplying the IDF with weapons in violation of US law. The bible says "that the peace makers shall be called the sons of God" Don't you know that they are killing your brothers and sisters too? I know that a step like coming out and saying that military aid to Israel is in violation of US law is a bold step. People in your district would support you though. So many feel that this violence on both sides has to end and no longer can we support one group (illegally) while punishing the other. With a step like this you could become a major player in the mid east peace process. With a picture in the news papers (jot only locally but nationally as well) a spot light on TV possibly an article in Newsweek/time. Remember what Alexander Pope said "it take one man with principles to defeat 100 with positions." Be this man stand for what is right and what is congruent with US law. I would love to sit down and meet with you and work with you on this issue. As would many other here in your district (specifically the rabbi from troy, several Imams and several priests and pastors whom I am working with to end the injustice in Palestine) I am sorry for past communications where I may have come across grating or rude. I am very passionate about this issue and would like to believe that the US truly stands for the high ideals it exposes. Please send you response in regard to the issue of illegality of military aid to Israel to : |
| 06/28/02 at 21:35:37 |
| yunus |
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board |