RICHARD SILVERSTEIN, richards1052@gmail.com, @richards1052
Silverstein writes at Tikun Olam. He said today: “We’ve just seen another Israeli atrocity with the State Department as willing accessory. When Blinken gave Israel the clean bill of health and said it was ‘making progress’ regarding humanitarian aid, State used as evidence Israel’s facilitation of aid to northern Gaza. What it didn’t mention is that all of THREE aid trucks entered. When the starving Palestinians came to collect the food, the IDF fired live ammunition and prevented them from accessing any of it. After the residents left, the IDF burned down the school where the aid was delivered.” See report in Haaretz: “A Gaza School Burned Down Hours After Aid Arrived. Witnesses Say Israeli Soldiers Started the Fire.”
Truthout reports: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is backing a bid by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to block a massive weapons transfer to Israel by the Biden administration, citing violations of U.S. law in backing Israel’s assault on Gaza.”
Also see: “Sanders Files to Force First-Ever Vote in Congress on Blocking Weapons to Israel.” This was covered by AP in September. A vote is expected as early at Tuesday or Wednesday.
ISAAC EVANS-FRANTZ, isaac@actioncorps.org, @theactioncorps
Isaac Evans-Frantz is with Action Corps, which put out a statement: “The violence in the Middle East is escalating rapidly, and the U.S. is becoming more entangled, with 100 U.S. troops being deployed to Israel. This escalation risks pulling the U.S. into a broader conflict, potentially involving Iran. At the same time, the Biden administration has approved over $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, fueling this conflict and further destabilizing the region. …
“But Congress has not authorized this weapons transfer. … On September 25, Senator Bernie Sanders, along with Senators Brian Schatz, Jeff Merkley, and Peter Welch, introduced six Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) to block these arms sales. With senators like Tim Kaine, Chris Murphy, and Chris Van Hollen signaling likely support, we have a chance to build momentum and reclaim Congress’s constitutional power over decisions of war and peace.”
HASSAN EL-TAYYAB, hassan@fcnl.org, @HassanElTayyab
El-Tayyab is director for Middle East policy for the Friends Committee on National Legislation. See from the group: “Coalition Sends Letter Calling on Senators to Support Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on Arms Sales to Israel” and “Understanding the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on Arms Sales to Israel.”