By World BEYOND War, January 26, 2024
Madison for a World BEYOND War and allies gathered in the Wisconsin state capitol on Friday to urge Wisconsin’s U.S. senators to vote No on the Biden administration’s request for another $14 billion of military “aid” for Israel. Sponsoring groups included Madison-Rafah Sister City Project, Jewish Voice for Peace Madison, Madison Veterans For Peace, Building Unity, and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom – Madison.
A new poll this week shows that more than one-third of Americans believe Israel is committing genocide. Almost half of those surveyed aged 18-29 (49%) say Israel is committing genocide. An Israel Palestine ceasefire resolution now stands before the Wisconsin legislature, Resolution 92. Madison City Council unanimously passed a ceasefire resolution on December 5.
Very soon the U.S. Senate will vote on the supplemental funding bill of $14 billion of weapons for Israel (part of $105 billion for weapons to kill people in Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, and to militarize the southern border of the United States). In November the same appropriations bill came before the House. Wisconsin representatives Mark Pocan and Gwen Moore voted NO.
The sponsoring groups of Friday’s event and Wisconsin elected officials are asking Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson to follow Mark Pocan and Gwen Moore’s lead and also vote NO on this colossal bill for more weapons.
Stefania Sani, co-coordinator of Madison for a World BEYOND War, explained, “The world’s leading weapons dealer, the U.S. government, should send no more weapons to Ukraine, Israel or Taiwan. Instead, people in Wisconsin want this $105 billion of our tax money to be spent on human and environmental needs, not weapons to kill and maim people.”
Speakers on Friday included UW-Madison professor of law Asifa Quraishi-Landes, and Marc Rosenthal of Jewish Voice for Peace Madison.
Speakers also discussed:
- Friday’s ruling by the International Court of Justice that Israel must cease violating the Genocide Convention.
- Friday’s hearing in Oakland, California, of the Center for Constitutional Rights’ and Palestinians’ case against Biden, Blinken, and Austin for complicity in genocide.
- Saturday’s Holocaust Remembrance Day. (Members of Jewish Voice for Peace Madison read a statement calling on the world to end the genocide in Gaza, written by JVP members who are descendents of Holocaust survivors.)
The supplemental funding legislation includes $14.3 billion for weapons and military “assistance” for Israel while Israel commits genocide in Gaza; and $61 billion to continue the war in Ukraine when there is no military solution–only a diplomatic one. The supplemental also includes $13.6 billion to militarize the U.S. border with 1,300 additional security guards, $2 billion in arms for Taiwan to prepare for war with China, and $9 billion for humanitarian aid spread among Israel, Ukraine, and Gaza.
On January 16, Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson voted against Senator Bernie Sanders’ Senate Resolution 504, which would have created modest steps to hold Israel accountable for its use of U.S. weapons. The resolution got lots of media attention. Eleven senators voted in support of Sanders’ resolution. Madison-Rafah Sister City Project responded in this open letter to Senator Baldwin.
In 2023, Wisconsin tax payers contributed $14.57 billion to the Pentagon (sources here and here). According to the United States Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Wisconsin’s taxpayers contribute over $55 million to the yearly $3.8 billion of “aid” to Israel. The same $55 million could instead fund for Wisconsin:
- 6,538 households with public housing for a year
- 19,138 children receiving free or low cost health care
- 600 elementary school teachers
- 1,455 student loan debt cancellation (source here)
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One Response
We should all call on our government to cease all military aid to any country and the cessation of sales of weapons to anyone. The U.S. government violates the U.N. charter calling for an end to the scourge of war daily. Stop funding wars. Stop the killing. Immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for all wars.