Under an agreement between the US and Israeli governments signed under the criminal administration of George W. Bush/Richard Cheney, the US is committed to sending $30 billion total aid over the next 10 years to Israel. Unfortunately the Obama administration seems like it will adhere to this agreement, with the support of the US congress.
That doesn't mean we have to support this particular policy however. Especially in light of the new Israeli governments commitment to expand Jewish Settlements in the West Bank, and the fact that the Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman lives in a West Bank settlement (not many countries would appoint someone to an important post that is not even a resident of the nation he supposedly represents... but not many would appoint a man who beats 12 year-olds either... but that's Prime Minister Netanyahu for you) Many of us were repulsed by Israel's actions during the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza, and want nothing to do with supporting such carnage. So maybe we can be inspired by these folks in Albuquerque.
From their Press Release, a coalition called Stop $30 Billion.
LOCAL GRASSROOTS COALITION CALLS ON CONGRESSMEN BINGAMAN, UDALL AND HEINRICH TO SUSPEND WEAPONS SALES TO ISRAEL
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The Albuquerque-based Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel issued calls today for a suspension of military aid to Israel in response to charges that Israel may have violated U.S. and International Law in its recent attack on the Gaza Strip. The Coalition is publicizing its message via 10 small billboards scattered across Albuquerque. The billboards (image shown above) feature images of a young Palestinian girl and an Israeli tank along with the message: "Tell Congress: Stop Killing Children, End Military Aid to Israel."
According to fact sheets researched and compiled by the Coalition, the U.S. agreed to provide Israel with $30 billion in military aid over a ten year period. Israel received its first subsidy in 2008. The Coalition says the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) used some of this aid in its December 27, 2008 to January 18, 2009 assault against Gaza and may have committed war crimes. More than 1,400 Palestinians, including over 300 children and 900 civilians were killed during the assault, dubbed Operation Cast Lead. The military aid, which amounts to $3 billion per year of taxpayer money that Americans can ill afford,appears to be in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the Foreign Assistance Act. The Coalition calls on the voters of Albuquerque to call or write Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall and Representative Martin Heinrich and demand that U.S. military aid to Israel be suspended. The Coalition also asks voters in Congressional Districts 2 and 3 to contact their representatives with the same message.
Powerful stuff. What's interesting is that one of the supporters of this campaign is himself a former supporter of massive US aid to Israel, a member of the AIPAC lobby group.
Again from the press release:
Rich Forer is a Jewish American who until recently was a member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC): "In the past two years I have been studying the history of the conflict between the Palestinian people and the state of Israel, focusing primarily on Israeli historians whose research is derived from Israeli State and Central Zionist archives. To my surprise, I have discovered that the history taught to Jewish schoolchildren is a gross distortion of the facts that has served to demonize the Palestinians. There can be no peace until Israel begins to treat the Palestinian people with a reasonable degree of humanity. The recent invasion of the Gaza Strip was a monstrous act of inhumanity leaving over 300 children dead. The United States must end its military aid to Israel and demand that Israel begin sincere and honest negotiations with the goal of a peace treaty that restores dignity to both sides of the conflict."
Emphasis added
I would hope that some politicians might start listening to the grassroots, and not just lobbies with tens of millions of dollars.
For example, Jewish Voice for Peace has long called for stopping US military aid to Israel as it continues to misuse this aid to oppress Palestinians. Amnesty International has also called for this,finally, after the carnage of the Gaza attack.
This movement, is after all, a call to hold the US and Israel accountable to standards of human rights and international law. It is a movement for human dignity.
Maybe you and/or the groups you work with can organize some visible campaign to change US policy. It does not need to be a billboard, but simply starting to organize some events on this issue, and even modest actions can make a big difference. One great resource for ways you can help change US policy is the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation.
That's something to think about as Tax Day rolls over us, isn't it.
Update/Clarification This deal is to send a total of $30 billion spread out over 10 years, not $30 Billion a year. Still, $3 Billion (Average per year) is money that will hurt US standing in the world, hurt the people of Palestine/Israel. It is not helpful. It is way too much money to bring more pain on this planet.