Israel’s campaign against Gaza is an unspeakable humanitarian and human rights crisis. It is estimated that more than 60,000 Gazans have died from indiscriminate Israeli attacks. Some attacks against civilians, including children, have been carried out with American-supplied armaments, including bunker-buster bombs and artillery and tank shells. Since taking office, the Trump Administration has approved nearly $13 billion worth of arms transfers to Israel.
Israel has blocked almost all access to critical aid, including food, medicine, and other essential items. The United Nations has declared famine in parts of Gaza, and hundreds of thousands face starvation.
The Episcopal Church has long urged the U.S. government to restrict military assistance to Israel, and we continue to urge Congress to take action now. The U.S. should restrict military assistance to Israel to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not contribute to further atrocities in Gaza.
In 2024, the 81st General Convention called for the “enforcement of policies that ensure U.S. government military assistance to the State of Israel be conditioned on adherence to international humanitarian law” and to ensure that “U.S. military arms and technologies not be used to violate human rights or commit war crimes anywhere in the world, including in Israel and the Palestinian territories.” This policy builds on a previous General Convention resolution that seeks to ensure “U.S. military assistance and arms sales not be used to perpetuate conflict, violate human rights, or contribute to corruption, instability, or violence,” and aligns with the Leahy Law. We have long advocated for U.S. military sales to comply with human rights laws, and, more broadly, for an end to the mass death and destruction in Gaza.
Representative Ramirez (IL-3) has introduced the Block the Bombs Act (H.R.3565), which would limit the transfer of defense articles and defense services to Israel, effectively blocking upcoming U.S. offensive weapons shipments to Israel.
Specifically, this bill would:
- Prohibit the president from selling, transferring, or exporting certain weapons and services to Israel—except under specific circumstances
- Require Israel to provide President Trump with additional written and satisfactory assurances in order to receive weapons
- Ensure that Israel is acting in accordance with international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and relevant bilateral agreements
Please reach out to your members of Congress and urge them to block the bombs!
Additional Resources:
- Episcopal Church Resources for the Conflict in the Holy Land
- Episcopal Church OGR Resources on Israel-Palestine
- Human Rights Watch – Israel/Palestine
- Arms Sales Accountability Project
- Coalition Sends Letter Calling on Senators to Support Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on Arms Sales to Israel
- Amnesty International: No Weapons for War Crimes
General Convention Resolutions:
- 2024- D012: Conditioning U.S. Military Assistance to Israel on Human Rights and a Negotiated Peace
- 2022-D024: Oppose U.S. Military Assistance to Countries that Violate Human Rights
- 2018-C038: Call for Guaranteed Basic Rights and Protection of Palestinian Children