Taxes come with strings attached.
 

FAQ

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ABOUT JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE

What is Jewish Voice for Peace?

What is JVP’s position regarding US military aid to Israel?

What about military aid to others in the region?

ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN

I am not an American. What can I do?

What is the difference between the email to the US Congress and the email to US President Obama?

ABOUT GAZA AND ABOUT MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL

What is the size of the US military aid to Israel?

Are there any restrictions on this money?

What do US laws say?

Does our military aid to Israel comply with these laws?

But wasn’t Israel forced to attack Hamas?

Doesn’t Israel have the right to defend itself?

Didn’t Hamas violate the laws of war during Israel’s offensive against Gaza?

What would the United States do if Canada had fired rockets into the United States?

TECHNICAL ISSUES

I am having technical difficulties sending my email to the US Congress. What should I do?

Other questions? Email us at feedback at jewishvoiceforpeace.org ________________________________________________________________________________

ABOUT JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE

What is Jewish Voice for Peace?

We are America’s largest national Jewish grassroots peace group dedicated to reaching a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians based on the principles of international human rights law. You can find out a little bit more about us here: http://withstringsattached.org/about/ or you can visit our website with extended information about our work here: http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/

What is JVP’s position regarding US military aid to Israel?

We call for a U.S. foreign policy that promotes democracy and human rights.  The United States must stop supporting repressive policies in Israel and elsewhere. We believe that U.S. military aid to countries in the Middle East must be based on rigorous enforcement of the Arms Export Control and Foreign Assistance Acts, which mandate that military aid may be used only for defensive purposes within the recipient country’s borders, and that aid may not be delivered to countries that abuse human rights.

We do not believe that Israel is in compliance with these guidelines, but we need Congress to acknowledge as much. That is why we are asking Congress to investigate how our tax dollars were used to harm Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

We believe that full transparency and accountability on this issue is in the best interest of Israelis, Palestinians, and Americans. The first two will not achieve peace and security outside of a negotiated agreement that is fair and in agreement with international law. As for us in the US, financing weapons used to harm civilians is both contrary to our country’s ideals and to our national interest.

What about military aid to others in the region?

JVP also calls for suspension of military aid to other human rights abusers and occupiers in the Middle East. This aid helps prop up autocratic and repressive regimes, promotes violations of human rights and international law, obstructs democratic movements, prolongs the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and fosters militarism and violence at home and abroad.

ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN

I am not an American. What can I do?

We recommend sending a letter to US President Obama. He says he wants to start a new relationship with the world–with you–and it is time to ask him to back his word with action.

Also, check whether your own government is supplying weapons to Israel. Demand transparency and accountability from your government as well.

What is the difference between the email to the US Congress and the email to US President Obama?

If you are in the US, email Congress. If you sign with your name, email, and zip code, we will make sure to send your email to your House Representative and your two State Senators. US legislators do not generally pay attention to people outside their district. We do not recommend that people outside the US email Congress.

For people outside the US, we recommend sending a letter to US President Obama. He says he wants to start a new relationship with the world–with you–and it is time to ask him to back his word with action.

ABOUT GAZA AND ABOUT MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL

What is the size of the US military aid to Israel?

Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. military aid. In August 2007, the United States and Israel signed an agreement to increase arms transfers to Israel to $30 billion over the next decade. In the proposed 2010 budget almost $3 billion in completely unrestricted military aid. The money seems to come with no strings attached, and without any thorough and open investigation about how our money has been used to cause horrendous injuries and death on the captive civilian population in Gaza.

Are there any restrictions on this money?

All U.S. aid programs, whether military or economic, have built-in mechanisms to prevent that aid from being used by countries to commit human rights abuses. The money should come with strings attached. And yet, military aid to Israel is given unconditionally.

What do US laws say?

The Arms Export Control Act restricts the use of U.S. weapons and services to foreign countries for legitimate self-defense, internal security, development projects, and/or United Nations peacekeeping efforts.

According to the Foreign Assistance Act “No assistance may be provided under this part [of the law] to the government of any country which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.”

Does our military aid to Israel comply with these laws?

No. Recent human rights reports document how in its recent offensive against Gaza, Israel’s military used such weapons for purposes other than those defined in the Arms Export Control Act. You can find copies of the reports here:

But wasn’t Israel forced to attack Hamas?

No. Israel and Hamas had a ceasefire that was remarkably effective: after it began in June 2008, the rate of rocket and mortar fire from Gaza dropped to almost zero, and stayed there for four straight months. The ceasefire unraveled on November 4th, when Israel killed a Palestinian, an event that was followed by a volley of mortars fired from Gaza. Immediately after that, an Israeli air strike killed six more Palestinians. Then a massive barrage of rockets was unleashed, leading to the end of the ceasefire.

Doesn’t Israel have the right to defend itself?

Israel, like every other country in the world, has the right to use military force to defend itself and its population. However, that right does not permit Israel to violate U.S. laws that govern the use of U.S. military assistance as well as well-established international laws that regulate the conduct of warfare and protect civilians. And various legal and human rights investigative reports have concluded that Israel did, in fact, contravene those laws in its offensive against Gaza.

Didn’t Hamas violate the laws of war during Israel’s offensive against Gaza?

Based on its investigation, Amnesty International concluded that Hamas committed violations of the laws of war during Israel’s recent offensive against Gaza by firing crude, mostly locally- produced and largely inaccurate rockets in the direction of Southern Israel. However, unlike Israel, Hamas does not receive military assistance from the United States; as such, U.S. weapons were not used in Hamas’ possible violations. Moreover, Hamas’ possible violations do not exempt Israel from adhering to U.S. laws governing the use of U.S. military assistance as well as well-established international laws that regulate the conduct of warfare.

What would the United States do if Canada had fired rockets into the United States?

The United States has neither occupied Canada for more than 40 years nor has it prevented Canadians from entering and exiting Canada by land, water and air, maintaining and developing their own economy, engaging with other Canadians, pursuing their educational pursuits and exercising their basic rights. As a result, the analogy does not hold.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

I am having technical difficulties sending my email to the US Congress. What should I do?

Try going here: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/t/9246/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27125. We hope that this will solve your problem. If you still have trouble, please email us at feedback at jewishvoiceforpeace.org, and let us know which computer and web browser you are using, so that we can locate the problem and fix it.