Stop Arming Israel
Poster courtesy of United Methodist Kairos Response.
On February 26, hundreds of Israeli settlers rampaged through the Palestinian village of Huwara near Nablus. During this nightmarish night of unchecked violence, eight homes were burned, 35 buildings were damaged, over 250 cars were set on fire, at least 120 Palestinians were injured, and one Palestinian man was killed.
This happened while the Israeli military stood by and allowed it to happen.
Many in Israel and around the world have called it a "pogrom," recalling the organized mobs that, with the tacit backing of their governments, attacked Jewish communities in Europe.
Though this attack is the worst instance of Israel settler violence against Palestinians to date, these attacks by armed settlers are a daily occurrence in the West Bank, and the State of Israel depends on this vigilante action to maintain and expand it illegal colonization.
The attack on Huwara occurred after two Israeli settlers were killed by a Palestinian near the village earlier the same day. The killing of the settlers itself followed an Israeli attack on Nablus which some have called a massacre, during which eleven Palestinians were killed and over 400 others were injured, 80 by live ammunition.
So far this year, at least 75 Palestinians, including 14 children, have been killed by the Israeli military and at least 13 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians. We mourn all loss of life and seek an end to violence but seeking an end to acts of violence is not enough.
We must also seek an end to the structures of inequality and injustice that are at the roots of violence and conflict. In Palestine/Israel, this means ending the Israel’s occupation and dismantling the apartheid system Israel has established throughout historic Palestine.
Equality demands accountability from all parties. Palestinians responsible for violence are arrested or killed. Their actions often result in disproportionate violence by the Israeli military, collective punishment, and settler attacks like the one that occurred in Huwara.
Shireen Abu Akleh
Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli military. No one has been charged in her murder. (Photo Courtesy of United Methodist Kairos Response)
But there is virtually no accountability for Israel's killing of Palestinians and violations of Palestinian rights. The deaths of Palestinian civilians are largely ignored and violence by settlers, often with military support, is only very rarely met with legal consequences. Even high-profile killings, like the murder of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, are justified by the Israeli military and government.
This is not a new problem. This March saw the 20th anniversary of the killing of American solidarity activist Rachel Corrie. Her family has pushed for accountability for her killing for decades without success.
For change to occur, there must be accountability.
That is why a group of ten churches and church-based organizations joined together this week in sending a letter to the Biden administration and Congress calling for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel and action to hold Israel accountable for ongoing gross violations of Palestinian rights.
The US is deeply complicit in Israeli violence.
Today we ask you to join with these churches by calling for Israeli accountability and an end to unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel.