1. see us, hear us:

Justice Requires Palestinian Self-Determination

The demand from Palestinians to “See Us, Hear Us” recognizes that those most impacted by the harms of policy must be centered in conversations about the path forward. When it comes to the formulation of U.S. policy toward Israel, Palestinians are entirely erased. Congress must heed Palestinian calls to end military funding to Israel and embrace policies that uphold the rights of all people, rather than clinging to empty rhetoric of bringing the two sides together, building confidence between the parties, and the facade of a “two-state solution.” Placing human rights first leads to policy that guarantees equality, freedom, and justice for all.

Congressional Framing and Vehicles

1 - Ensure that Palestinian voices are included in hearings on issues that impact their lives.

(+) Follow Palestinian analysts and organizations.

2 - Withhold and Condition foreign military funding to Israel.

(+) Policy language: Support accountability measures in response to Israel’s violation of human rights and international law.

  • June 2020 Rep Ocasio-Cortez led letter to then-Secretary of State Pompeo stating that U.S. funding to Israel should be withheld if Israel moves ahead with annexation of Palestinian lands in the West Bank. Click to see text from the letter:
    • “Should the Israeli government continue down this path [toward annexation], we will work to ensure non-recognition of annexed territories as well as pursue legislation that conditions the $3.8 billion in U.S. military funding to Israel to ensure that U.S. taxpayers are not supporting annexation in any way. We will include human rights conditions and the withholding of funds for the offshore procurement of Israeli weapons equal to or exceeding the amount the Israeli government spends annually to fund settlements, as well as the policies and practices that sustain and enable them."
  • Limit foreign military funding for Israel in both the appropriations process and through the National Defense Authorization Act. For FY 2021 the President’s request to Israel would amount to 59% of total requested foreign military financing worldwide.
  • Repealing or limiting S. 3176, the “US-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2020,” which was included in the 2021 NDAA, and sets the minimum military funding to Israel at $3.3 billion annually through 2028.
  • Ending additional funding, such as the $500 million allocated to Israel under the NDAA for missile defense.
  • Shift funding from projects such as the Partnershership Fund for Peace Act, which provides $250 million over 5 years through USAID for economic development. Rather, focus on recognition of the Palestinian people's political rights.
    • The U.S. should not pursue an economic band-aid approach as an alternative to freedom and self-determination which undermines the only tenable approaches for a just future - moving towards real accountability for Israel’s continued land theft and de facto annexation, home demolitions, child detention and other violations of Palestinian rights.

3 - Prohibit U.S. funding, including weapons transfers, security assistance and cooperation, from being used to further Israeli annexation, home demolitions, or child detention.

(+) Policy language: Co-Sponsor H.R. 2590, Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act.

  • SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON ASSISTANCE.
    • (a) PROHIBITION.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for assistance to the Government of Israel may be obligated or expended for any of the following:
      1. Supporting the military detention, interrogation, abuse, or ill-treatment of Palestinian children in violation of international humanitarian law or to support the use against Palestinian children of any of the following practices: (A) Torture or cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment [...] (H) Confessions obtained by force or coercion.
      2. Supporting the seizure, appropriation, or destruction of Palestinian property and forcible transfer of civilians in the Israeli-controlled and occupied West Bank in violation of international humanitarian law.
      3. Deploying, or supporting the deployment of personnel, training, services, lethal materials, equipment, facilities, logistics, transportation, or any other activity to territory in the occupied West Bank to facilitate or support further unilateral annexation by Israel of such territory in violation of international humanitarian law.

4 - Support Non-Recognition of any Israeli claims to sovereignty on Palestinian lands, such as the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

(+) Policy language: Support or introduce legislation such as H.R. 8050 The Israeli Annexation Non-Recognition Act from the 116th Congress

  • From H.R. 8050:
    • (a) Statement Of Policy.—It is the policy of the United States not to recognize any claim by the Government of Israel of sovereignty over any part of the occupied West Bank including its airspace.
    • (b) Prohibition.—No Federal department or agency may take any action or extend any assistance in a manner that extends or implies United States recognition of such a claim of sovereignty in violation of international humanitarian law or customary international law.
    • (d) Funding Limitation.—No Federal funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the “Foreign military financing program” account, or otherwise authorized to be appropriated or made available to carry out section 23 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763), may be made available to deploy or support the deployment of personnel, training, services, lethal materials, equipment, facilities, logistics, transportation, or any other activity in territory in the West Bank unilaterally annexed by Israel, or to facilitate or support the unilateral annexation of such territory.

5 - Oppose U.S. attempts to excuse and enable Israel’s apartheid policies in the international arena.

(+) Recognize that the Abraham Accords normalize continuous Israeli dispossesssion of the Palestinian people.

  • The U.S.-brokered Abraham accords, from the UAE-Israel deal to the subsequent deals with Israel and Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan, sideline the voices and demands of the Palestinian people, and allow de facto annexation to continue. These deals were also deeply transactional and perpetuated U.S.-backed violence in the region: from the UAE’s attempts to procure F-35’s through signing these accords despite it’s role in the devastating war on Yemen, to U.S. recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over occupied Western Sahara in return for Morocco’s participation in this deal.
 

Our Values Extend Across Our Movements

Other Relevant Policy and Legislation

  • Expand on a new, holistic, repair and accountability based foreign policy that centers women, gender non-conforming people, and people of color, following blueprints like the Feminist Peace Initiative.