Dear all,

It’s not often that we have much of a comparison to make when it comes to dark times for the people in Occupied Palestine. But these are truly darker than others. A dangerous level of escalation is being pursued by the Israeli government and our own elected officials are right there on the sidelines cheering them on like a bunch of pro-war, pom-pom wielding rah-rahs.

Both political parties are open that this is more about campaign contributions than doing what’s right.

But some U.S. officials worry that the political calculation is undermining efforts to find a peaceful solution to the latest conflict. “There is no danger for the candidates,” said Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.), adding that those politicians “will get rewarded politically and financially for being out front in their support.”

— Washington Post

In spite of our efforts to get Representatives Brian Baird and Adam Smith to take a balanced approach and reject the so-called “Support for Israel Resolution,” both men chose to vote for it and ignore international laws and global calls for the United States to take a role in de-escalating the situation it has a part in creating. We need to contact Smith and Baird and tell them how disappointed we are. As a voter in Brian Baird’s district, I can’t see myself voting for that guy again no matter what else he espouses or who he runs against. He has been a duplicitous representative at best, acting one way in meetings, but voting another way when he’s back in Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, I’d also encourage you to contact our Senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, before they get a chance to endorse such a one-sided document. Aside from telling people about your displeasure at the passing of the “Support Israel Resolution,” Please ask them to take the following five actions. I urge you to either cut ‘n paste them in your own letters, use them as talking points in your phone calls or two ask for these in your own words. These are proactive measures that our elected officials can take to create a better situation on the ground in the Middle East.

Here they are:

1) In the strongest possible terms, insist that Israel immediately end its assault on Gaza and Lebanon and seek a negotiated, diplomatic solution to the current problems. Those negotiations should address the following:

• Safe return of Israeli soldiers as well as the release of all illegally held Palestinian political prisoners, especially minors (aprox. 1,000 of them).
• The immediate halt of the Israeli shelling of Gaza that has occurred consistently for the past months; and the immediate cessation of all rocket fire at Israeli towns.

2) Communicate to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and President Bush that an immediate ceasefire, diplomacy and negotiations, not support for continuing violence, must be the route to resolving current issues. Ask them to demand that Israel stop its disproportionate assaults on Gaza and Lebanon and to insist that all civilians (Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese) are protected.

3) Take action in Congress to address the Israeli Governments violations of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act during the recent assaults. Furthermore, hold the Israeli Government accountable for these violations by cutting off financial and military aid as required by U.S. law.

4) We understand that the Gaza electrical generating plant destroyed by Israel was originally built by Enron, and later bought out by Morganti, a Connecticut company that insured the plant for $48 million through the U.S. taxpayer-funded Overseas Private Insurance Corporation, the U.S. government-sponsored “insurance agency of last resort.” We further understand that after Israel used U.S. taxpayer-funded F-16 bombers, Apache helicopters, and hellfire missiles to destroy the U.S.-built plant, Morganti notified OPIC that it wants $48 million in insurance money. Please investigate the facts of this situation and if they are true, call for the Israeli government to pay this $48 millionif necessary, out of the annual $3 billion in military aid to Israel. Please, also, investigate the implications to American taxpayers and to future U.S. projects in Gaza should OPIC end up footing this bill instead of the Israeli Government.

5) Finally, when you are back in the district, we request a meeting with you personally to discuss your responses to this letter, your positions on this issue, and how we might best help to keep you informed about it.

• You can reach Adam Smith, Brian Baird, Patty Murray and Maria Canwelll through Congress.org.
• Send Smith and Baird letters about their voting to promote violence in the middle east with their “support” of Israel by following this link.

Here are their official web pages as well:

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