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Rep. McCollum’s bill on Palestinian rights is historic, AMP’s statement

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April 16, 2021 (Washington, DC) -- Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) introduced yesterday historic legislation that would prohibit US funding of Israeli human rights abuses. H.R.2590, the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, seeks to hold Israel accountable for its human rights abuses of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), a national education and grassroots advocacy organization, proudly endorses this legislation.

Dr. Osama Abuirshaid, AMP’s Executive Director, stated: "Rep. McCollum's bill is her strongest and most important yet in her distinguished string of legislative initiatives to promote Palestinian rights. Building on her commitment to end US funding for Israel's detention and ill-treatment of Palestinian children, and its annexation of additional Palestinian land, this bill also importantly would end US funding for Israel's forced displacement of Palestinians. This issue is of special concern right now, as Israel's planned home demolitions in Silwan and evictions in Sheikh Jarrah threaten to forcibly displace nearly 2,000 Palestinians from their Jerusalem homes. 

The bill also shines an important light on the opaque nature of US weapons funding spent on Israel's domestic weapons manufacturers, providing long-overdue oversight on this important issue. American Muslims for Palestine is honored to advocate on behalf of this legislation and is deeply appreciative of the Congresswoman's unstinting efforts to promote Palestinian rights and a just peace.

At its most recent Palestine Advocacy Day, AMP presented Congresswoman McCollum with its Champion of Palestinian Rights Award. 

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More information about the legislation can be found on Representative Betty McCollum’s website

For more information, or to schedule an interview with an AMP spokesperson, please contact Media Coordinator Malak Shalabi at +1(888) AMP-1948.