This petition is birthed out of a deep, personal grief. I am of Palestinian origin, my parents hail from Palestine. For decades, the land of my ancestry has been a playground for conflict and terror, largely intensified by the United States' support of Israeli actions, which often leads to the inequitable treatment of Palestinians. It's deeply disheartening when America, which promises liberty and justice, chooses to overlook the pain of the indigenous people of Palestine.

U.S President Donald Trump declared “America First!" in his policies, but the reality often felt like "Israel First." Our hard-earned tax dollars continue to flow towards a country that is continually under scrutiny for human rights abuses. According to a Congressional Research Service report, Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II, having received $146 billion (not accounting for inflation). In 2016, the U.S. and Israeli governments signed a new 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), essentially a non-binding agreement, on military aid covering the period of FY2019 to FY2028. Under the terms of the MOU, the United States pledges to provide $38 billion in military aid ($33 billion in Foreign Military Financing grants plus $5 billion in missile defense appropriations). These numbers are alarming when considering the unjust treatment of Palestinians. 

As someone touched by the stories of suffering and oppression coming out of Palestine, I urge that the U.S. revisits its foreign aid policy to hold Israel accountable for its actions from 1948 to present day. The Middle East conflict extends far beyond geopolitics, reaching into the heart of communities like mine. True peace can only be achieved when everyone is held to the same standard. Let us start by including Israel in the U.S. foreign aid freeze, demanding justice, equity, and peace for all. Please sign this petition to help make a change.

Update:

Thanks to everybody who took time out of their day to look at this petition! We're still in this and we just need to find additional ways to share this petition. I'm going to update the title for simplicity sake. Thanks again!

Update again:

Added some decision makers and edited text! Thanks again everybody! Free Palestine!