Demand Accountability of US Involvement in the Bombing of Gaza

UPDATE (01/29/24): The Senate has voted to table Senate Resolution 504, effectively ending any forward motion on the resolution. However, the resolution is not fully dead, and Senators can reconsider adopting the resolution. Demand your Senators rethink their position and adopt S. Res 504.

For decades, Israel has ranked as the top recipient of U.S. security aid, and since October 7th, the U.S. has transferred at least 15,000 bombs, including 2,000-pound bunker busters, and more than 57,000 artillery shells to Israel. Israel has dropped more than 22,000 bombs on Gaza that were supplied by the United States in just the first month and a half of the war, leaving a path of destruction that has leveled over 70% of homes in Gaza and killed 1% of the Gazan population. These jaw dropping figures were only recently disclosed to Congress.

With over 23,000 people, 70% of them women and children killed since October 7th, Congress must step in and demand oversight of the conflict. To that end, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has introduced Senate Resolution 504 under Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act to force congressional oversight of the indiscriminate bombing being carried out by the Israeli government.

The Foreign Assistance Act prohibits security assistance to any government “which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.” Section 502B(c) of this law allows Congress to request information on a country’s human rights practices. If passed, the resolution would require the U.S. State Department to report to Congress within 30 days:

• credible allegations of the violation of internationally recognized human rights in Gaza, particularly the denial of the right to life caused by indiscriminate or disproportionate military operations;
• the denial of the right to life by the blanket denial of basic humanitarian needs;
• actions the U.S. has taken to limit civilian risk caused by Israeli military action;
• certification that no unit of the Israeli security forces has committed any gross violations of human rights;
• summary of arms and munitions provided to Israel since October 7;
• assessment of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law in Gaza; and
• a description of the end-use monitoring of arms sold/transferred for use in Gaza.

After the report is received, Congress may then enact changes to conditions, reduce, or terminate security assistance to Israel.

We must demand Congress provide accountability of the indiscriminate bombing of civilians. This first step will give Congress insight into what is happening and allow them to make informed decisions about the future of U.S. aid to Israel.