Cut Off All U.S. Foreign Aid to the Sharon Regime - Stop Israeli use of U.S. F-16 Fighters Against Civilians. It Violates U.S. Law!

May 25, 2001 - Rabi Al- Awwal 2, 1422


General Colin Powell, Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC 20520
Tel: 202-647-4000/202-647-5150
Fax: 202-261-8577
email: [email protected]

Cut Off All U.S. Foreign Aid to the Sharon Regime -
Stop Israeli use of U.S. F-16 Fighters Against Civilians.
It Violates U.S. Law!

Dear General Powell:

On behalf of seven million Muslim Americans, we, the undersigned, demand the immediate cut-off of all U.S. foreign aid to the Israeli authority, led by the war-criminal Ariel Sharon, because of his use of American made F-16 fighters, paid for by our taxes, against Palestinian civilians. This is a clear violation of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act which states:

"Defense articles and defense services shall be sold or leased by the U.S. Government under this Act to friendly countries solely for internal security, for legitimate self-defense."

The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan described the use of the F-16 jets as "excessive and misdirected". Amnesty International said the use of U.S. weapons to carry out assassinations violates the Arms Export Control Act. Also, when asked about the F-16 attacks, Vice President Dick Cheney said: "I think they should stop."

Our demand for immediate cut-off of all U.S. foreign aid to the Israelis is urgent, because, the war-criminal Sharon is targeting Palestinian children using American weapons. An analysis of data published in the May 21, 2001 issue of Newsday indicated that 96 Palestinian children under the age of 18 have been killed so far in Al-Aqsa Intifada/Uprising, almost all by Israeli soldiers. In all, more than 450 Palestinians have been killed. Thousands of Palestinian civilians have been wounded and maimed by American taxpayer-funded weapons. Please check (http://www.newsday.com/news/daily/womide21.htm). There should not be a double standard that allows Palestinian Muslim and Christian civilians to be killed by Israeli soldiers without protests. These oppressed Palestinians are defending their homes and families against the Israeli occupiers and will not die quietly.

We demand the immediate cut-off of all U.S. foreign aid to the Israelis, because the war criminal Sharon is being empowered to continue:

1. The illegal occupation of Palestinian properties and the building of Jewish settlements on confiscated properties. Former Senators George Mitchell and Warren Rudman said: "The Government of Israel should freeze all settlement activities, including the 'natural growth' of existing settlements."

2. The apartheid-like Israeli policies such as: forced expulsions, home demolitions, land confiscation, massacres, discrimination, humiliation, harassment, torture, ethnic segregation and the denial of basic human and religious liberties of the Palestinian Muslims and Christians.

General Powell, as you were instrumental in preventing Iraq from occupying Kuwait, you must be instrumental in preventing the Israelis, as well, from occupying Arab lands, otherwise America's already shaky image and interests in the Arab World and the entire Muslim world of 1.3 billion people, will continue to deteriorate by Washington's obvious double standard, uncritical and unjust support of ANY action that the Israelis choose to take in enforcement of their occupation of Arab lands. It is this occupation, and the suffering that continues to flow from it for the last 53 years, that is at the core of the conflict and the present violence.

To stop the present cycle of violence we urge the U.S. Government to:

1. Stop turning a blind eye to the Israeli aggression;

2. Call for an international force to protect the Palestinian civilians;

3. Immediately cut-off all U.S. foreign military and economic aid to the Sharon regime and divert it to help the people of Africa instead, who are in dire need.

We also urge you to meet with American Muslim leaders to discuss ways to vindicate the suffering of the Palestinian civilians. We applaud the recent resolution of the Bishops of the United Methodist Church, calling on the U.S. to use all available measures, including a funding cut off to Israel to stop human rights violations and new Jewish settlements.

Anxiously awaiting your reply.

Sincerely,