At a press conference, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) delivered forceful remarks criticizing U.S. military support for Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza. She argued that the suffering and deaths of Palestinians are not accidental consequences of conflict, but rather the result of deliberate actions by the Israeli government, aided by U.S. weapon sales.

Jayapal pointed to reports that the U.S. has sent $30 billion in weapons to Israel since the start of the war. She said these arms have been used not only in Gaza but also in strikes across the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Tunisia, and Qatar. The congresswoman described the conditions in Gaza as “genocide,” citing starvation, bombings, and the deaths of civilians and children.

The congresswoman emphasized that U.S. complicity violates both international humanitarian law and American statutes, such as the Leahy laws, which prohibit assistance to foreign forces committing human rights abuses. She underscored that the ongoing supply of weapons undermines these legal and moral standards.

Jayapal has joined with other progressive lawmakers, including Rep. Delia Ramirez and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders, in introducing resolutions to block U.S. arms sales to Israel. She insisted that Congress has the power to stop the flow of weapons and that doing so is essential to ending the humanitarian crisis.

Her remarks concluded with a call to action: to prevent further loss of life, particularly among children, and to ensure the U.S. is no longer complicit in what she termed “the genocide of people in Gaza.”

The speech highlighted a growing divide in Congress over U.S. policy toward Israel, as some lawmakers push for a reassessment of America’s role in the conflict.

Source: Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal