Iran’s Attack Is Not a Pretext for More Weapons to Israel

IMEU Policy Project Memo #2

Topline

Following Iran’s attack on Israel on Saturday, Members of Congress who want to deescalate violence in the Middle East and ensure peace and safety for all people should:

• Not vote for any legislation that provides additional weapons to Israel, which would be used in further violation of US law to commit grave breaches of international humanitarian law in Israel’s attacks on Palestinians in Gaza

• Follow the lead of the Biden administration by calling on Israel not to retaliate further and call for the US to support a regional ceasefire in the UN Security Council

Background

On April 1, Israel conducted a deadly airstrike against the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, a blatant violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. In addition to attacking a diplomatic building in violation of international law, Israel failed to coordinate the airstrike with the United States, endangering US personnel in the region.

Iran vowed to retaliate and launched armed drones and ballistic missiles toward Israel on April 13. According to Israel, 99% of the drones and missiles were intercepted by the US and Israel, causing minimal damage. Israel is now threatening additional retaliatory measures against Iran. 

Some Members of Congress are utilizing Iran’s retaliatory attack as a pretext to provide Israel with $14 billion in additional weapons, which would be used primarily to continue Israel’s six-month-long attack on Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Policy Recommendation #1: Vote No on Any Supplemental with Weapons for Israel 

The Senate version of the supplemental, which was passed in February, includes more than $14 billion in weapons for Israel, the vast majority of which consists of the types of weapons Israel is using against Palestinians civilians in the Gaza Strip. 

Israel is clearly using these US weapons in blatant violation of US law and Biden administration policies on weapons transfers to commit grave breaches of international humanitarian law and to block US humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, 1.1 million of whom are facing imminent starvation as a result of Israel’s illegal blockade. 

It is worth noting that only a small portion of this $14 billion weapons package would be to fund the types of weapons systems deployed on Saturday to intercept Iran’s drones and missiles. 

In other words, should Congress utilize Iran’s attack as a pretext to appropriate additional weapons, it will be innocent Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip who will continue to pay the price. Over the past six months, Israel has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians and has committed “plausible” acts of genocide, according to the International Court of Justice.

Members of Congress should neither sign the discharge petition to bring the Senate supplemental to a vote in the House nor should they support or vote for any other legislation providing weapons to Israel which may be brought to the floor by the Speaker.

Policy Recommendation #2: Promote a Permanent, Regional Ceasefire      

Members of Congress who want to deescalate regional violence and ensure safety and peace for all should follow the lead of the Biden administration in seeking to tamp down Israeli retaliation and rule out any US participation in any future Israeli attack.

The best way to achieve this goal is through calling for a binding regional ceasefire, imposed through the UN Security Council, which would encompass the Gaza Strip as well. Such a resolution should be passed under Chapter VII of the UN Charter to maximize the possibility of imposing sanctions against any party violating it. 

While the Biden administration has sought to deescalate tensions following Iran’s attack on Saturday, it was silent about Israel’s attack on Iran’s embassy, displaying a disturbing double standard regarding its stance on all states’ obligations to abide by international law.

Moreover, until very recently, the Biden administration actively subverted the efforts of the UN to impose a bilateral ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, showing contempt for the appalling loss of Palestinians lives.

Analysts have warned for many months that the Biden administration’s unconditional support for Israel’s attacks on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip could fuel a regional war. The Biden administration has steadfastly ignored these warnings as it continued to arm Israel and support it diplomatically as it committed plausible acts of genocide. 

Now that these predictions stand on the precipice of materializing, Members of Congress should work with the Biden administration to pass a comprehensive regional ceasefire that would obviate a potential regional war and finally bring to an end Israel’s attacks against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.       

Photo credit: Oren Rozen. Creative Commons license.