Progressives introduce bill to block US funding from being used to annex Palestinian land
Minnesota (QNN)- Rep. Betty Maccollum and Progressive colleagues Introduced an Act to block any US Aid that may be used to illegally annex Palestinian Lands by ‘Israel’.
Congresswoman Betty McCollum and colleagues on Friday introduced the Israeli Annexation Non-Recognition Act, H.R. 8050, a bill to prohibit the US from formally recognizing or providing US aid to any area of the occupied West Bank annexed by the Israeli government in violation of international law.
The original co-sponsors of the bill are Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), and Rep. Andre Carson (IN-07).
In a statement submitted for the Congressional Record, Congresswoman McCollum said, “I reject Israeli annexation. I condemn annexation. And I will work to ensure the US does not support, defend, or legitimize any plan to illegally annex Palestinian lands.”
In a joint press release, Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American congresswoman, said that the US foreign policy approach must center the rights of all human beings.
Proud to join Rep. McCollum on this!
Our foreign policy approach must center the rights of all human beings, including both Israelis and Palestinians.
We must work to end the occupation and secure genuine rights and freedoms for Palestinians. https://t.co/D8NiGVO8pX
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) August 14, 2020
This bill is supported by over 30 organizations including Jewish Voice for Peace, Defense for Children International – Palestine, American Friends Service Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, Churches for Middle East Peace, MPower Change, IfNotNow, Institute for Policy Studies-New Internationalism Project, and others.
I'm honored to be an original co-sponsor of this legislation. This bill is the right thing to do. It ensures that taxpayer money won't be used to support human rights violations of #Palestinians. America must make sure our allies live up to the expectations of a Democratic state. https://t.co/p4sUmhHxyT
— André Carson (@RepAndreCarson) August 14, 2020
#HR8050, my new bill to prohibit U.S. recognition of illegally-annexed Palestinian lands, is supported by more than 30 groups & organizations committed to speaking out against Israeli annexation and standing up for peace & human rights: https://t.co/xHwodJzL2f
— Rep. Betty McCollum (@BettyMcCollum04) August 15, 2020
.@RepAOC is proud to join her colleagues in supporting this bill. https://t.co/ux6CdNuTfD
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) August 14, 2020
This is not the first time that McCollum introduces a bill that supports the Palestinian people. In 2015, McCollum led 18 colleagues calling on Secretary of State John Kerry to “elevate the human rights of Palestinian children to a priority status in our bilateral relationship with the Government of Israel.” Also, in 2016, Congresswoman McCollum led 19 colleagues urging President Barack Obama to appoint a Special Envoy for Palestinian Youth. In 2019, she introduced legislation to promote human rights for Palestinian children by ending abusive Israeli military detention practices.
