2022-02-01 11:59:13 -0500
To: Representative Jared Huffman of California
Demand Rep. Huffman oppose a bill ignoring violations of Palestinian Human Rights. Oppose HR 2748.
Petition Text
We believe that Rep. Huffman must repudiate his support for H.R. 2748, a bill officially known as the “Israel Relations Normalization Act” but should more properly be called the “Normalizing Israeli Ethnic Cleansing Act”. The bill purports to support peace but does nothing to address the grave human rights violations and daily violence directed against the Palestinian people. This bill will only encourage the impunity of the Israeli government as it destroys homes of Palestinians, arrests young children and places them in detention centers, holds those who protest in detention without trial.
Why is this important?
We believe that Rep. Huffman knows better, we cannot win peace without justice. He should reject the false promises of the Trump-negotiated “Abraham Accords” that only give weapon deals to undemocratic Arab regimes and diplomatic cover to Israel’s violations of international law. He therefore must rescind his support for HR 2748.
If Rep. Huffman wishes to work for peace in the Middle East, he can speak up about very recent examples of Israel’s growing disregard for international laws and norms.
Daily the Israeli government reminds us they want no part of any peaceful and just resolution.
In October of last year, Israel effectively outlawed six prominent Palestinian human rights groups by declaring them terrorist organizations, a major escalation of its decades-long crackdown on political activism in the occupied territories. A resolution introduced by Rep. Betty McCollum condemning this extremist reactionary step has yet to be cosponsored by Rep. Huffman.
Criminalizing human rights organizations should NOT be normalized.
Israel military police to close "investigation" into death of Palestinian (and U.S. citizen) Omar Assad who was detained in January 6th, 2022 without charges, despite soldiers admitting they forcibly covered his mouth, cuffed him and left 78 year-old out in the cold, looking "sleepy" and unresponsive, didn't bother to call a medic. Even U.S. citizens are allowed to be subject to Israeli military brutality and still Congress demands this be “normalized”?
Israeli military brutality and disregard for human life should NOT be normalized.
On January 19th, 2022, at 3 a.m. in the morning, the Israeli military demolished the home and evicted the Salhiya family in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, in a statement released on Thursday by the UNRWA. “In a matter of hours, the Salhiya’s house and possessions were destroyed, erasing all traces of their nearly 40 years of history in the neighborhood. Having already lost their place of residence as a result of the 1948 conflict, the Salhiya family is now again displaced, seeking refuge one more time.” Tens of Palestinian refugee families in different parts of Sheikh Jarrah alone (over 200 persons, many of whom are children) currently face an imminent threat of eviction by the Israeli authorities.
Ethnic Cleansing should NOT be normalized.
Rep. Huffman must repudiate his support of HR 2748 and instead work for justice that will bring peace. Sign this petition and call his Washington DC office today (202) 225-5161 and say “NO on HR 2748, no normalization with human rights violations!”