Calling all Washington Report Readers
ACTION ALERTJanuary 7, 2009
Contact: news_editor@wrmea.com
Calling all Washington Report Readers:
Write or call your representatives and your local newspapers. Attend protests—If you want to distribute copies of the Washington Report e-mail us your street address and contact information and the number of magazines you need. Call the White House and State Department (see numbers below).
Here are some talking points:
Israel is in Violation of U.S. Laws
The U.S. Foreign Assistance and Arms Export Control Acts stipulates that U.S. defense items and services furnished to any country be used “solely for internal security,[or] for legitimate self defense”(22 U.S.C. 2302 and 2754).
Furthermore, according to U.S. law, “no security assistance may be provided to any country the government of which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.” (22 U.S.C. 2304).
Israel’s excessive and disproportionate use of force in Gaza clearly exceeds the bounds of what could be considered legitimate self-defense, and therefore its use of U.S.-supplied weaponry is in violation of the laws of this land.
- U.S. military aid to Israel is financing the Israeli occupation and invasion of Gaza. U.S. aid has helped Israel purchase machine guns, ammunition, precision-guided bombs and missiles, cluster bombs, night vision goggles, tanks, F-16 bombers, Apache helicopters gun ships, and armed and unmanned aerial vehicles—which are now being used against Palestinian civilians as well as militants.
- The United States recently delivered 1,000 bunker-buster missiles, worth $77 million, to Israel, which used them in Gaza on Saturday, Jan 3, according to The Jerusalem Post. These are not defensive weapons. That same day Israel flattened the American International School, one of Gaza’s best private educational institutions. It has also hit UN schools—one attack killed more than 40 civilians who sought shelter in the school. Is bombing schools legitimate self-defense?
- Is Israel’s siege of Gaza waged in self-defense? Is preventing food, clean water, medicine, and fuel from reaching 1.5 Gazans self-defense?
Israel Receives Nearly $3 billion in aid annually—$2,380.6 in Military Aid.
- In August 2007, the U.S. and Israeli officials agreed to a new 10-year, $30 billion aid package. In 2009 Israel will receive $2.55 billion, and this sum will gradually increase to an average $3 billion per year over the 10-year period.
In addition U.S. Jewish organizations have raised more than $2.4 billion to help support Jewish defense agencies and settlements in 2008. Donors will deduct this money from their U.S income taxes.
Why is Congress (except for Congressman Dennis Kucinich, D-OH) Silent?
Why isn’t Congress isn’t telling Israel “no more money until you abide by American and international laws?”
Why did our government block the passage of a UN Security Council statement on Sunday urging a ceasefire?
It is because the pro-Israel Lobby directs more than $2.5 million each election cycle to political action committees, which help members of congress who follow the AIPAC playbook and defeat others who don’t play the Israel right or wrong game. (See article on Washington Report’s home page: <www.wrmea.com>.)
It’s the same kind of “Pay to Play” game that New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (arguably one of the most decent guys in President-elect Obama’s proposed cabinet) is now defending himself against—but on a massive scale. And no one talks about it. Members of Congress are being paid to let Israel play in the occupied territory. And this game has cost the lives of nearly 600 Gazans.
- You can post this information on your My Space, Facebook, etc.
- Congressman Ron Paul of Texas has spoken out about Gaza and called for the United States to play an even-handed peacemaking role. To hear the remarks he made on the day Israel invaded Gaza see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08gTWqWrI4M
- You are urged to also contact Israel'sAmbassador to the U.S. at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC or their nearest Consul General
Write or telephone those working for you in Washington
White House: 1-202-456-1111 or comments@whitehouse.gov
State Department: 1-202-647-6575 or send email
Congress: 1-202-224-3121 or find contact info
Capital Switchboard: toll free 1-800-828-0498 ask for your Legislator
President Barack H. Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20500
Comment Line: (202) 456-1111
Switchboard: (202) 456-1414
Fax: (202) 456-2461
TTY/TDD
Comments: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121
E-mail:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
president@whitehouse.gov
Vice President Joseph R. Biden:
E-mail: vice.president@whitehouse.gov
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Department of State
Washington, DC 20520
State Department Public Information Line: (202) 647-6575
New Mexico Congressional Delegation:
Senator Jeff Bingaman 1-202-224-5521
Website: http://bingaman.senate.gov/
Senator Tom Udall 1-202-224-6621
Website: http://tomudall.senate.gov
Representitive Martin Heinrich 1-202-225-6316
Website: http://heinrich.house.gov/
Any Senator
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3121
1-800-828-0498
Website: senate.gove
Any Representative
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-3121
1-800-828-0498
website: house.gov
Israeli Embassy and Consulate Contact Sheet
Embassy Washington DC
Ambassador: Sallai Meridor
3514 International Dr. N.W.
Washington DC 20008
Tel: 202-364-5500
Email: info@israelemb.org
Consulates
Atlanta
Consul General: Reda Mansour
1100 Spring St. N.W. Suite 440 Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Tel: (404) 487-6500
Fax: (404) 487-6555
Email: information@atlanta.mfa.gov.il
Boston
Consul General: Nadav Tamir
20 Park Plaza, Suite 1020
Boston, MA 02116
Tel: (617) 535-0200
Fax: (617) 535-0255
Chicago
Consul General Barukh Binah
111 East Wacker Drive
Suite 1308
Chicago, IL 60601
Tel: (312)297-4800
Fax: (312)297-4855/4865
Email: contactus@chicago.mfa.gov.il
Houston
Consul General: Asher Yarden
24 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1500
Houston, Texas 77046
Tel: (713) 627 3780
Fax: (713) 627 0149
Email: consular.dep@houston.mfa.gov.il
Los Angeles
Consul General: Ehud Danoch
6380 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1700
Los Angeles, Ca 90048
Tel: (323) 852-5500
Fax: (323) 852-5566
Email: info@losangeles.mfa.gov.il
Miami
Consul General: Ofer Bavly
100 North Biscayne (Yitzhak Rabin) Boulevard
Suite 1800
Miami, Florida 33132
Tel: 305-925-9400
Fax: 305-925-9455
Email: info@miami.mfa.gov.il
New York
Consul General: Asaf Shariv
800 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10017
Tel: (212) 499-5426
Email: feedback@newyork.mfa.gov.il
Philadelphia
Consul General: Uriel Palti
230 South 15th Street
Suite 8
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Tel: 215-546-5556
Fax: 215-545-3986
Email: info@philadelphia.mfa.gov.il