Biden campaign alumni call on him to end occupation, hold Israel accountable for human rights abuses

The Washington Post‘s Jacqueline Alemany reports that over 500 Biden and Democratic staffers have signed a letter calling on the President to promote Palestinian human rights and hold Israel accountable for its human rights violations.

“The very same values that motivated us to work countless hours to elect you demand that we speak out in the aftermath of the recent explosive violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, which is inextricable from the ongoing history of occupation, blockade, and settlement expansion,” reads the letter. “We remain horrified by the images of Palestinian civilians in Gaza killed or made homeless by Israeli airstrikes. We are outraged by Israel’s efforts to forcibly and illegally expel Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah. We are shocked by Israel’s destruction of a building housing international news organizations. We remain horrified by reports of Hamas rockets killing Israeli civilians.”

The letter contains a list of demands that Biden should bring to the the Israeli government. These include an end to the occupation, the Gaza blockade, and settlement expansion. It also calls on the United States government to stop funding the detention of Palestinian children and the demolition of homes, while asking for an investigation of how U.S. aid was used in the expulsion of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah.

“We joined your campaign to pursue a vision of a nation that believes that every person’s life and fundamental rights are valued,” it declares. “We remain committed to that vision and implore you to take action to ensure that Palestinians and Israelis are able to live in peace and security. Returning to the status quo is untenable, as it deprives Palestinians of peace, security, and self-determination.”

Like almost every recent U.S. president, Biden has publicly opposed settlement expansion and asserted that the West Bank is occupied while doing absolutely nothing to rectify either situation.

The letter comes amid a growing rift within the party over U.S. policy in the region. Progressive lawmakers have condemned Israel’s recent actions on the House floor, introduced resolutions aimed at blocking Biden’s recent weapons sale to the country, and more of them are now referring to it as an apartheid state.

Last week Biden assured reporters that there was no such conflict. “My party still supports Israel,” he said. “Let’s get something straight here. Until the region says unequivocally they acknowledge the right of Israel to exist as an independent Jewish state, there will be no peace.”

So where are the Palestinian voices in mainstream media?

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