Rep. Ilhan Omar Leads Effort to Block Controversial Weapons Export Amidst Gaza Conflict

Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) has taken a decisive step by introducing a joint resolution of disapproval to block the proposed export license for $320 million in Spice Family Guided Bomb Assemblies to Israel.

These weapons have already been utilized in the ongoing siege on Gaza, contributing to a devastating toll that includes over 4,000 children and more than 11,000 civilians, making it one of the deadliest conflicts for children in this decade.

The international community, including the United Nations and human rights experts, has widely condemned the targeting of hospitals and schools, categorizing such actions as crimes against humanity and calling for the prevention of genocide.

Rep. Omar has publicly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right ethnonationalist government for what she perceives as their involvement in war crimes during the siege of the Gaza Strip. Despite repeated requests to minimize civilian casualties, avoid a ground invasion, prevent reoccupation of Gaza, and establish a significant humanitarian pause, Netanyahu has shown disregard for U.S. policy and requests, according to Rep. Omar.

Given that the United States already provides the Israeli government with $3.8 billion in military aid annually, Rep. Omar asserts that Congress must exercise oversight over weapons sales to prevent direct violations of U.S. and international law, protect human rights, and safeguard America’s moral standing on the global stage.

The resolution has secured the support of notable cosponsors, including Representatives Cori Bush, Summer Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Delia Ramirez, and Rashida Tlaib. Their involvement underscores the importance of addressing the potential implications of the proposed weapons export.

The bill is endorsed by About Face: Veterans Against the War, Action Center on Race & the Economy, Action Corps, ActionAid USA, Activist San Diego, Adalah Justice Project, American Friends Service Committee, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Americans for Justice in Palestine action (ajp action), Amnesty International USA, Arab American Civic Council, Arizona Muslim Alliance, Arizona Muslim Alliance, Arlington United for Justice with Peace, Armenian-American Action Network, Campaign Against Arms Trade, Center for Civilians in Conflict, Center for Constitutional Rights, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Center for Pluralism, Center on Conscience and War, Committee for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Defense for Children International – Palestine, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), DRUM – Desis Rising Up & Moving, Ekō, FCNL, For All, Freedom Forward, Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, Grassroots International, Highlander Research and Education Center, Human Rights Watch, ICAHD-USA, IfNotNow Movement, Institute for Policy Studies New Internationalism Project, International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), InterReligious Task Force on Central America, Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S..A.), Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Justice Democrats, MADRE, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, MENA Rights Group, Migrant Roots Media, Movement for Black Lives, Movimiento Poder, Movimiento Poder, MPower Change Action Fund, Mujeres Unidas y Activas, Muslims For Progress, National Iranian American Council Action, NM No False Solutions, Our Revolution, Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED), Project South, ReThinking Foreign Policy, Rising Majority, RootsAction.org, Shadow World Investigations, Shalom United Church of Christ, New Haven, CT, Sunrise Movement, The Freedom Initiative, The Mosque Cares | Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed, The Peoples Port Authority, United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, US Council of Muslim Organizations, WFP, Women for Weapons Trade Transparency, Women Working Together Usa, World BEYOND War, and the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation.

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Quincy Thomas

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