Stop Hurting Innocents as a Policy Tool

June 2018 - Killing and hurting innocent people as a means of achieving political ends is the very essence of terrorism, wherever it occurs. In recent weeks, Israeli forces have killed an estimated 100+ Palestinians at its border fence, supposedly to protect the soldiers and Israel, while not a single Israeli was wounded or killed. Less well known is the abhorrent treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military prisons. This includes beatings and illegal restrictions on communication with their families that contravene human rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. House bill HR 4391 has been introduced in the US Congress to mandate that the US not be complicit in these inhumane Israeli acts. It would require subtracting all funds that enable these illegal actions from what the US would otherwise contribute in aid to Israel. 

We also need to change our US treatment of innocent children and abolish the horrific US policy of separating children from their mothers or fathers as they seek asylum in the US. In a case currently in court, a 7-year old girl was taken away screaming after her mother "surrendered to immigration agents and asked for asylum." (NPR 2/27/2018) Immigration lawyers report this policy is effective: Mothers drop their claims for asylum, in order to retrieve their children. 

ACTION: Urge your Representative to co-sponsor and support HR 4391, to separate the US from complicity in the inhumane, illegal treatment of children in Israeli military prisons. In addition, urge him or her to file and support a bill to end the horrific US policy of forcefully taking children from their parents at the border. These are not our values.

CONTACT: Your Representative in Congress

• Web: Find his or her name and link to their websites at house.gov; send an email or leave a message via ‘Contact’ on his/her website
• Tel: 202 224-3121 (Capitol switchboard-ask for his/her office & leave a message)
• Mail: Representative (first & last name) S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515

Multiply this Message: Use this information to write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others.