20 May 2021; MEMO: Democrat lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and other progressive representatives including Rashida Tlaib and Marc Pocan have introduced a resolution opposing an arms sale to Israel worth $735 million.
In an email, AOC stated: "At a time when so many, including our President, support a ceasefire, we should not be sending 'direct attack' weaponry to Prime Minister Netanyahu to prolong this violence."
"It is long past time to end the US policy of unconditional military arms sales, particularly to governments that have violated human rights."
Yesterday AOC tweeted: "The United States should not be rubber-stamping weapons sales to the Israeli government as they deploy our resources to target international media outlets, schools, hospitals, humanitarian missions and civilian sites for bombing."
"We have a responsibility to protect human rights."
The administration of President Joe Biden approved the controversial sale less than a week before Israel launched its recent bombing campaign against Gaza.
On Monday Democrat representative Ilhan Omar, who is also a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said: "It would be appalling for the Biden Administration to go through with $735 million in precision-guided weaponry to Netanyahu without any strings attached in the wake of escalating violence and attacks on civilians."
Despite claims by the Biden administration that it is committed to working behind the scenes to deescalate the violence, the US has blocked several attempts by the UN Security Council to call for a ceasefire.
