Let’s educate our Members of Congress about Palestinian rights during August recess

Congress is on recess until after Labor Day but that doesn’t mean that they’re on vacation. In fact, this is the best time of the year to engage your Members of Congress on Palestinian rights.

Members of Congress are in their districts this month meeting with constituents to hear about issues of concern to them. Many also hold town hall meetings.

American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) encourages its supporters to engage with their Members of Congress through meetings and town halls. 

Contact us if you are interested in organizing in your congressional district and we will support you with all the materials and coaching you’ll need to be successful.

Here are some legislative issues we hope that you’ll raise with your Members of Congress.

1. Support legislation that affirms our right to boycott and oppose legislation that does not.

Thank your Representative if they cosponsored H.Res.496 and urge them to cosponsor if they have not yet. This resolution reaffirms our constitutional right to boycott. Click here for talking points and to find out if your Representative supports the resolution.

Thank your Representative if they voted no or present on H.Res.246 and express your opposition to their vote if they voted yes. This resolution condemns boycotting for Palestinian rights. Click here for talking points and click here to find out how your Representative voted.

2. Support legislation to hold Israel accountable for abusing Palestinian children

Thank your Representative if they cosponsored H.R.2407 and ask them to cosponsor it if they have not yet. This bill would prevent Israel from using US military aid to detain, abuse, and imprison Palestinian children through its military detention system. Click here for talking points and click here to find out if your Representative is a cosponsor.

3. Ask Congress to hold Israel accountable for violating US arms control laws

In July, Israel demolished the homes of hundreds of Palestinian families in the Wadi Hummus neighborhood in East Jerusalem in the largest single instance of ethnic cleansing in the city since 1967. 

Israel used Caterpillar bulldozers, among other machinery, to demolish these buildings. These bulldozers are provided to Israel by US taxpayers through military aid and subject to restrictions under the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), which limits the use of these weapons to internal security and legitimate self-defense. 

Ask your Members of Congress to write the Department of State to investigate Israel’s violation of the AECA to demolish Palestinian homes with US weapons.

Click here for more background information and click here to read a new AMP policy paper about Israel’s violations of US laws. Please give a copy of this policy paper to your Members of Congress (we’ll be glad to send you one).

Thank you for engaging with your Members of Congress about Palestinian rights during this August recess. We are here to help you in your efforts!