As constituents, we must ask U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett to take a principled stand on the ongoing tragedy in Gaza. Specifically, before he can properly consider co-sponsoring the “Block the Bombs Act” (H.R. 3565), he must first acknowledge the humanity and human rights of the Palestinian people.
This is a moral prerequisite. The “Block the Bombs Act” is an important step toward curbing the transfer of offensive weapons to Israel, which have been used to kill tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians. However, simply pausing arms sales without acknowledging the root cause of the conflict and the historical injustice Palestinians have faced is a failure to address the entire picture.
That is why I urge Barrett to co-sponsor H.Res. 409, the Nakba resolution, introduced by U.S. Rep, Rashida Tlaib. This resolution recognizes the ongoing Nakba, or “catastrophe,” which began in 1948 with the displacement and dispossession of Palestinians and continues today through illegal settlements and military actions. Co-sponsoring H.Res. 409 would signal that Rep. Barrett truly understands that Palestinians are a unique people deserving of the same human rights as everyone else.
As the resolution states, a just and lasting peace requires that the United States ends its complicity in the ongoing subjugation of the Palestinian people. The “Block the Bombs Act” addresses one symptom of this complicity, but the Nakba resolution addresses the underlying historical and ongoing injustice.
The suffering in Gaza and the wider Palestinian territories demands not only our attention but a full recognition of the facts on the ground. For U.S. Rep. Barrett to show true leadership, he must take both of these steps and publicly commit to a foreign policy rooted in human rights and justice for all.
Leena Shah
Brighton
