Washington, DC – Outside the United States Capitol, Josephine Guilbeau raised her voice in anger and frustration regarding the Israeli hunger crisis in Gaza.
The 17-year US Army veteran expressed her outrage, saying, “The level of evil that it takes to make a decision to starve a baby as a means of war, as a weapon of war – what have we come to as a humanity? What have we come to as a country?”
On this Thursday, Guilbeau was joined by fellow veterans, medical professionals, former officials, and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib in their urgent appeal to lawmakers and President Donald Trump to heed the public’s outcry and to halt unconditional support for Israel.
The group made noise by banging empty pots, aiming to draw attention to the dire situation in Gaza, where many residents have gone days without food, and more than 100 have reportedly died from starvation as a direct result of the Israeli blockade, according to United Nations agencies and local health officials.
Photographs of starving Palestinian children were held up by doctors and veterans, who emphasized the United States’ role in facilitating Israel’s actions through military aid, weapon supplies, and diplomatic backing.
Congresswoman Tlaib urged her congressional colleagues to listen to their constituents and take a stand against what she described as Israeli atrocities.
Recent public opinion polls have indicated a growing dissatisfaction among the American public regarding Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, although Congress continues to show bipartisan support for Israel.
Tlaib confronted her peers, saying, “Americans serving in Congress, wake up because the American people are telling you over and over again: We’re not in support of this.”
She insisted that lawmakers should conduct polls, just as they typically do, and would learn that people are against funding efforts that lead to widespread suffering. “They will tell you they do not want one goddamn freaking dime going to starve a whole people.”
Tlaib voiced her disapproval of a recent vote made by her progressive colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who opposed an amendment to block $500 million in missile defense aid to Israel. Only a handful of lawmakers supported the amendment, which Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced last week.
Ocasio-Cortez had argued that cutting “defensive” aid would not contribute to a resolution of the ongoing violence in Gaza. However, Tlaib questioned this reasoning, stating, “No matter what weapons – I don’t care if it’s offensive or defensive, whatever you call it – let’s stop enabling the genocide.”
Despite Ocasio-Cortez’s outspoken identification of Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and her past support of measures to limit arms to Israel, her recent vote sparked backlash from leftist activists who argue that any military aid to the Israeli state enables its violent actions against Palestinians.
The United States has been providing Israel with billions of dollars in military assistance every year, even amidst serious allegations of human rights violations that would typically render the country unqualified for such support under U.S. law.
UN experts and recognized human rights groups have accused Israel of committing acts of genocide in Gaza. Former State Department employee Stacy Gilbert resigned in protest last year, voicing her opposition to a governmental report denying that Israel was blocking aid to Palestinians.
Gilbert noted, “The starvation in Gaza is the result of a deliberate decision by Israel,” and called for President Trump to reconsider his policies that mirror those of President Biden’s unconditional military support.
Dr. Nidal Jboor, a physician with the advocacy group Doctors Against Genocide, cautioned Trump against duplicating his predecessor’s policies, stressing that the U.S. president has the ability to leverage an end to the violence.
“If you don’t stop it today, then you are as sleepy as Joe was. It’s your call,” he stated, using Trump’s nickname for Biden, “Sleepy Joe.”
Dr. Jboor underscored that Americans should not accept their current role in the ongoing humanitarian crisis, emphasizing, “This is not who we are. Americans are better than this. What we are supporting in Gaza does not make America great again. Shut down the killing zone. Flood Gaza with aid. End the genocide. History will remember at this point and this moment what we did and what we failed to do.”
During last year’s election, Trump sought the support of Arab and Muslim communities in Michigan by promising to foster peace in the region.
Although he initially celebrated a truce that began in January, he soon proposed a controversial plan to remove all Palestinians from Gaza, which rights advocates characterized as ethnic cleansing, a crime against humanity.
Furthermore, Trump has continued to provide military support to Israel while endorsing its reinitiation of hostilities in March and hindering the aid framework in the region.
Dr. Jboor remarked, “Trump failed his Arab and Muslim supporters. People were voting for him because he promised peace, and now he’s breaking his promises.”
In May, the U.S. and Israel initiated an initiative for monopolizing aid distribution via a private entity known as GHF. However, Palestinians and human rights organizations have condemned the GHF’s aid distribution centers, located in heavily militarized areas of southern Gaza, labelling them as ‘death traps.’
Israeli forces have reportedly opened fire on aid seekers, resulting in numerous fatalities.
While the U.S. has triumphantly announced that GHF has distributed 90 million meals since May, this figure represents only a minute portion of the food necessary to sustain Gaza’s two million residents.
In recent weeks, although Israel has permitted some aid convoys into northern Gaza, these have also faced Israeli fire and bombardment.
Despite the ongoing casualties, U.S. officials have been promoting the GHF operation as a success, repeating inaccurate claims that Hamas diverts aid intended for humanitarian use.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott acknowledged awareness of the humanitarian crisis but emphasized the necessity to ensure aid does not get misused by groups like Hamas.
In its support for GHF, the U.S. may be disregarding devastating criticisms directed at Israeli actions in Gaza.
Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu recently reinforced this stance, stating, “There is no nation that feeds its enemies,” tacitly confirming the notion that Israel aims to starve the people of Gaza.
Back on Capitol Hill, the advocates remained optimistic about the potential impact of their demonstration, despite the prolonged conflict and deepening humanitarian crisis over the past 22 months.
Guilbeau asserted, “Every single voice is so powerful to move the needle; we have to change the minds of our leaders and make them understand that if they do not stop funding Israel, we will vote them out.”
image source from：aljazeera
