Call Congress Now!                                                                                                  January 30, 2024

Prepared by: Lora Lucero + Melinda Smith + Katherine Hughes-Fraitekh

The predictable consequences of Israel’s genocidal campaign waged on the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip over the past 4 months has killed nearly 30,000 and injured many more. It has also fractured the entire society and community by assassinating intellectuals, medical staff, and journalists, as well as attacking and destroying the majority of universities, hospitals, schools, hospitals, churches and mosques. An unknown number of victims are still under the rubble.

Humanitarian aid organizations warn that many more will die in the coming weeks from starvation, dehydration, disease. and lack of medical care. The world’s highest court (International Court of Justice) stated in its emergency ruling on January 26 that there is plausible evidence that Israel is committing acts of genocide. It ordered Israel to stop harming and killing people and to allow massive humanitarian aid in immediately.

Shockingly, the following day, the U.S. and several western countries suspended their financial support of UNRWA based on unsubstantiated claims that up to 12 UNRWA staff may have participated in the Oct. 7 attacks. UNRWA’s staff is composed of more than 13,000 people and is the primary UN agency that has built up an extensive network and structure to provide life sustaining services such as housing, education, food distribution, medical support and clean water to Palestinian refugees since 1948.  It is especially critical in the Gaza Strip that has been under siege for 17 years and where 2/3 of the 2.2 million population are refugees. Without this network of expertise, distribution points, vehicles, and processes to procure humanitarian aid, thousands of lives will be lost. The US must reinstate the aid to UNRWA immediately and call for its allies to do the same.

Meanwhile the US Congress is negotiating a supplemental funding bill to provide billions in additional military aid to Israel ($10 billion in the Senate bill and $14 billion in the House). The Biden Administration is preparing to sell Israel additional fighter planes and attack helicopters. Only a few members of Congress are asking the Biden Administration to hold Israel accountable for using our military aid consistent with US and International Law; and they’re asking Secretary Blinken and the Biden Administration to respond by February 9.

Senators Heinrich and Lujan have not called for a ceasefire, and they’ve failed to join their colleagues in the letter to Secretary Blinken on January 26 asking him important questions about our country’s arms transfers to Israel, including whether any Leahy vetting of Israeli armed forces has occurred since Oct. 7th.  They need to hear from us!

We ask that you call, email and fax them every day until a lasting and durable ceasefire has been implemented and massive humanitarian aid has been allowed to enter and be distributed in Gaza.

Contact information and talking points are provided below. The Congressional switchboard reaches all Congress 202-224-3121.

Senator Martin Heinrich

709 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5521
Fax: (202) 228-2841

400 Gold Avenue SW, Ste. 1080
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone: (505) 346-6601
Fax: (505) 346-6780

https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/contact/write-martin

Senator Ben Ray Lujan

498 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-6621
Fax: 202-224-3370

500 Marquette Ave NW, Suite 1460
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone: 505-337-7023
Fax: 833-907-0886

Representative Melaine Stansbury

1421 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-6316

6301 Indian School Rd – Suite 420
Albuquerque, NM  87110
Phone: (505) 346-6781

https://stansbury.house.gov/contact

Representative Teresa Leger-Fernandez

1510 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-6190

1103 National Avenue – Room 101
Las Vegas, NM  87701
Phone: (505) 570-7558

https://fernandez.house.gov/contact

Representative Gabe Vasquez

1517 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-2365

201 Unser Blvd. NW – Unit 116
Albuquerque, NM  87121
Phone: (505) 208-4777

https://vasquez.house.gov/contact

President Biden

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

TALKING POINTS

• U.S. taxpayers refuse to support a genocide. Stop funding Israel.  No additional weapons or military assistance to Israel. New Mexico needs the dollars at home, not to kill children.

• Additional funding to Israel after the ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of a plausible genocide, makes us complicit.

• Call for an immediate ceasefire. There is no military solution; we must focus on a fair, just, and rights-based political solution in Israel/Palestine and the Middle East.

• Restore funding to UNRWA immediately. UNRWA is the largest and longest serving aid organization in Gaza. The humanitarian crisis cannot be averted if UNRWA is defunded and its experienced staff and network are not utilized for the distribution of the aid.

• Support the Jan. 26 Letter of Concern to Secretary Blinken expressing concern about the reason for emergency transfers of tanks and shells to Israel in December overriding Congressional oversight and approval. Join your colleagues in demanding answers from the Biden Administration regarding accountability, transparency, and human rights laws.

• Urge President Biden to honor the wishes of the majority at the U.N. Security Council when they meet to discuss how to enforce the ICJ’s ruling.  Don’t use his veto power.

Questions?   Lora Lucero, PDA-CNM  505-453-3938