The people of Gaza have already waited too long, but now there can be no other course but rapid action to end US complicity in the genocide Israel is conducting with the help of US weapons funded by our tax dollars.
A building in Gaza City struck by Israeli missiles. “So now it’s time for Congress to represent the will of the people,” writes Martin, “and do its job.”
(Photo by Abdalhkem Abu Riash/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Kevin Martin
Sep 20, 2025
Common Dreams
Many people in the United States are understandably jaded by our current politics. Partisan divisions and corporate special interest domination of the agenda seemingly stymie solutions to our myriad problems, leaving ordinary citizens frustrated at our collective inability to advance sustainable solutions.
And yet, there are times when a situation is so dire, and the answer so clear, that mass common sense spreads like wildfire. This is such a time, with regard to mass public revulsion to Israel’s genocide (with a growing number of Members of Congress calling Israel’s actions a genocide, including U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and forced starvation of the Palestinian population ofGaza. By all accounts, Israel could not sustain this humanitarian calamity without U.S. weaponry, and recent U.S. public opinion polls show a decisive turn against Israel’s actions.
It is long past time to block the bombs to Israel.
The Biden Administration’s support for Israel was bad, but predictably, Trump has been worse, accelerating transfers of bombs and guns with monolithic Republican, and far too much Democratic, support, in spite of Israel’s clear violations of U.S. and international law in its mass killing of civilians and denial of life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza.
That situation is changing, as at the end of July, a majority of Democratic and Independent Senators voted to prevent two proposed weapons transfers to Israel. Not a single Republican joined them in this or the previous two rounds of votes on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on specific weapons transfers to Israel since last November, all introduced by US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). More votes of this kind will likely follow, as the Senate allows for expedited, privileged resolutions on certain matters, whereas issues are much more easily bottled up by the majority in the House of Representatives.
However, the House is far from silent on this issue, as a growing number of Democratic and (again, no Republican) Representatives have signed on as cosponsors on HR 3565, the Block the Bombs to Israel bill introduced by US Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL). The bill now has 47 cosponsors, and the number is steadily rising.
Over the August congressional recess, pro-peace organizers around the country raised the call to Ban the Bombs to Israel, including by protesting at congressional town hall meetings. Perhaps the most notable was that of Missouri freshman US Rep. Wesley Bell, who ousted progressive incumbent Cori Bush, who had introduced a bill advocating a ceasefire, with Bell receiving over $12 million in campaign cash from the pro-genocide organization AIPAC (American-Israel Public Affairs Committee). Security at the event forcibly removed peaceful, nonviolent protesters.
The bill is as close as we have to a de facto arms embargo on Israel, as it would ban transfers of seven specific offensive weapons systems, from bunker busting bombs to tank ammunition to white phosphorus artillery munitions. While House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Republican majority will probably not allow the bill to advance, even to consideration by a House committee, building support to Ban the Bombs to Israel can help put pressure on President Trump (who recently blurted out that Israel had lost its “total control” of Congress) to exert leverage on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to end his inhumane slaughter in Gaza.
In addition to further votes on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on specific weapons transfers to Israel, the Senate could also move privileged measures including a War Powers Resolution to prevent further support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, or an inquiry under section 502(B) of the Foreign Assistance Act for Israel’s clear violations of U.S. law. Or, the Senate could attach language such as that in the House Block the Bombs bill as an amendment to an Appropriations Bill.
None of those actions would be an easy lift, and would not be likely to pass (or override an expected presidential veto) but the reality now is the political tide has turned decisively against Israel.
Perhaps the simplest way to look at this is that advocates for peace and human rights have done their job, and the public has responded, as only 8% of Democrats approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza, with the overall number at only 32%, according to a recent Gallup poll.
So now it’s time for Congress to represent the will of the people, and do its job. It is far past time to help end the nightmare in Gaza by blocking the bombs to Israel.
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Kevin Martin is the president of Peace Action and Peace Action Education Fund, with over 40 years experience as a peace and justice organizer. He is helping coordinate the Cease-Fire Now Grassroots Advocacy Network.
Full Bio >
Many people in the United States are understandably jaded by our current politics. Partisan divisions and corporate special interest domination of the agenda seemingly stymie solutions to our myriad problems, leaving ordinary citizens frustrated at our collective inability to advance sustainable solutions.
And yet, there are times when a situation is so dire, and the answer so clear, that mass common sense spreads like wildfire. This is such a time, with regard to mass public revulsion to Israel’s genocide (with a growing number of Members of Congress calling Israel’s actions a genocide, including U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and forced starvation of the Palestinian population ofGaza. By all accounts, Israel could not sustain this humanitarian calamity without U.S. weaponry, and recent U.S. public opinion polls show a decisive turn against Israel’s actions.
It is long past time to block the bombs to Israel.
The Biden Administration’s support for Israel was bad, but predictably, Trump has been worse, accelerating transfers of bombs and guns with monolithic Republican, and far too much Democratic, support, in spite of Israel’s clear violations of U.S. and international law in its mass killing of civilians and denial of life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza.
That situation is changing, as at the end of July, a majority of Democratic and Independent Senators voted to prevent two proposed weapons transfers to Israel. Not a single Republican joined them in this or the previous two rounds of votes on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on specific weapons transfers to Israel since last November, all introduced by US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). More votes of this kind will likely follow, as the Senate allows for expedited, privileged resolutions on certain matters, whereas issues are much more easily bottled up by the majority in the House of Representatives.
However, the House is far from silent on this issue, as a growing number of Democratic and (again, no Republican) Representatives have signed on as cosponsors on HR 3565, the Block the Bombs to Israel bill introduced by US Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL). The bill now has 47 cosponsors, and the number is steadily rising.
Over the August congressional recess, pro-peace organizers around the country raised the call to Ban the Bombs to Israel, including by protesting at congressional town hall meetings. Perhaps the most notable was that of Missouri freshman US Rep. Wesley Bell, who ousted progressive incumbent Cori Bush, who had introduced a bill advocating a ceasefire, with Bell receiving over $12 million in campaign cash from the pro-genocide organization AIPAC (American-Israel Public Affairs Committee). Security at the event forcibly removed peaceful, nonviolent protesters.
The bill is as close as we have to a de facto arms embargo on Israel, as it would ban transfers of seven specific offensive weapons systems, from bunker busting bombs to tank ammunition to white phosphorus artillery munitions. While House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Republican majority will probably not allow the bill to advance, even to consideration by a House committee, building support to Ban the Bombs to Israel can help put pressure on President Trump (who recently blurted out that Israel had lost its “total control” of Congress) to exert leverage on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to end his inhumane slaughter in Gaza.
In addition to further votes on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on specific weapons transfers to Israel, the Senate could also move privileged measures including a War Powers Resolution to prevent further support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, or an inquiry under section 502(B) of the Foreign Assistance Act for Israel’s clear violations of U.S. law. Or, the Senate could attach language such as that in the House Block the Bombs bill as an amendment to an Appropriations Bill.
None of those actions would be an easy lift, and would not be likely to pass (or override an expected presidential veto) but the reality now is the political tide has turned decisively against Israel.
Perhaps the simplest way to look at this is that advocates for peace and human rights have done their job, and the public has responded, as only 8% of Democrats approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza, with the overall number at only 32%, according to a recent Gallup poll.
So now it’s time for Congress to represent the will of the people, and do its job. It is far past time to help end the nightmare in Gaza by blocking the bombs to Israel.
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Kevin Martin is the president of Peace Action and Peace Action Education Fund, with over 40 years experience as a peace and justice organizer. He is helping coordinate the Cease-Fire Now Grassroots Advocacy Network.
Full Bio >
Amnesty Calls for States to “Pull the Plug” on Economy Backing Israel’s Genocide
Firms like Palantir have provided key services supporting Israeli forces’ slaughter of Palestinians, the group said.
By Sharon Zhang ,
Firms like Palantir have provided key services supporting Israeli forces’ slaughter of Palestinians, the group said.
By Sharon Zhang ,
September 19, 2025
Displaced Palestinians gather in front of the rubble of a building, leveled in an overnight Israeli strike that also damages the surrounding tents used as temporary shelters, in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City, on September 15, 2025.Majdi Fathi / NurPhoto via Getty Images
Amnesty International is calling on economic actors to “pull the plug” on the economy supporting Israel’s genocide and apartheid in Palestine, naming 15 companies, including U.S. surveillance firm Palantir, acting as major backers.
In a report published Thursday, the human rights groups named a litany of actions that governments, companies, and other groups must take to eliminate the “political economy underpinning Israel’s international crimes.”
The report names three U.S. companies as contributors to Israel’s occupation: Arms makers Boeing and Lockheed Martin, as well as Palantir, which has close ties to the Trump administration.
It also names Israeli companies Corsight, Elbit Systems, Mekorot, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and Israel Aerospace Industries; as well as Chinese company Hikvision, Spanish manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, and South Korean conglomerate HD Hyundai.
The group calls on states to take actions like halting trade with and divesting from companies contributing to the genocide, and for companies to suspend contracts with Israeli forces, among other actions. It notes that the 15 companies it names in its report are a small sample of the ones making up the economy surrounding the genocide.
Democrat-Aligned PR Firm Says It Ended Contract to Create Pro-Israel Propaganda
The firm’s other pro-Israel work targeting the news media is unaffected.
By Sharon Zhang , Truthout September 17, 2025
“Human dignity is not a commodity. While Palestinian mothers in Gaza are left to watch their children waste away from starvation under Israel’s genocide, arms companies and others continue to reap substantial profits,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general, in a statement. “Amnesty International calls on its members and supporters the world over to demand an immediate end to the political economy underpinning Israel’s international crimes.”
The report was released on the same day as the expiration of a deadline set by the UN General Assembly resolution for Israel to end its occupation of Palestine that has been completely disregarded by Israel and the U.S.
The companies named in the report have deep ties to Israel’s violence. Boeing manufactures bombs and bomb kits that Israel has used extensively in its bombardment of Gaza, while Lockheed makes the F-16s and F-35s that the Israeli military uses as a significant part of its air fleet.
Palantir, meanwhile, is a supplier of AI products and services that Israel is using as part of its vast surveillance and data collection network across Gaza. The company has a strategic partnership with the Israeli military to “significantly aid in support of war-related missions.”
The report also calls out companies it’s previously named as complicit in furthering Israel’s apartheid. Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor have helped maintain and support tourism listings in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, which are helping to develop Israeli settlements in Palestine, the group wrote in 2019.
The report follows a similar analysis by UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese from July. The human rights expert named dozens of companies, including numerous U.S. firms, that are key participants in Israel’s “economy of genocide.”
Amnesty International is calling on economic actors to “pull the plug” on the economy supporting Israel’s genocide and apartheid in Palestine, naming 15 companies, including U.S. surveillance firm Palantir, acting as major backers.
In a report published Thursday, the human rights groups named a litany of actions that governments, companies, and other groups must take to eliminate the “political economy underpinning Israel’s international crimes.”
The report names three U.S. companies as contributors to Israel’s occupation: Arms makers Boeing and Lockheed Martin, as well as Palantir, which has close ties to the Trump administration.
It also names Israeli companies Corsight, Elbit Systems, Mekorot, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and Israel Aerospace Industries; as well as Chinese company Hikvision, Spanish manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, and South Korean conglomerate HD Hyundai.
The group calls on states to take actions like halting trade with and divesting from companies contributing to the genocide, and for companies to suspend contracts with Israeli forces, among other actions. It notes that the 15 companies it names in its report are a small sample of the ones making up the economy surrounding the genocide.
Democrat-Aligned PR Firm Says It Ended Contract to Create Pro-Israel Propaganda
The firm’s other pro-Israel work targeting the news media is unaffected.
By Sharon Zhang , Truthout September 17, 2025
“Human dignity is not a commodity. While Palestinian mothers in Gaza are left to watch their children waste away from starvation under Israel’s genocide, arms companies and others continue to reap substantial profits,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general, in a statement. “Amnesty International calls on its members and supporters the world over to demand an immediate end to the political economy underpinning Israel’s international crimes.”
The report was released on the same day as the expiration of a deadline set by the UN General Assembly resolution for Israel to end its occupation of Palestine that has been completely disregarded by Israel and the U.S.
The companies named in the report have deep ties to Israel’s violence. Boeing manufactures bombs and bomb kits that Israel has used extensively in its bombardment of Gaza, while Lockheed makes the F-16s and F-35s that the Israeli military uses as a significant part of its air fleet.
Palantir, meanwhile, is a supplier of AI products and services that Israel is using as part of its vast surveillance and data collection network across Gaza. The company has a strategic partnership with the Israeli military to “significantly aid in support of war-related missions.”
The report also calls out companies it’s previously named as complicit in furthering Israel’s apartheid. Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor have helped maintain and support tourism listings in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, which are helping to develop Israeli settlements in Palestine, the group wrote in 2019.
The report follows a similar analysis by UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese from July. The human rights expert named dozens of companies, including numerous U.S. firms, that are key participants in Israel’s “economy of genocide.”
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