Dear Representative Courtney, Senator Murphy, and Senator Blumenthal,

We write out of deep concern for both the people of Israel and of Gaza and the West Bank. While we affirm Israel’s right and need to defend itself, we also know that the civilian death toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza that the Netanyahu government’s military operation have caused are unacceptable and out of line with American interests and values. They are also out of line with Israel’s interests and the values expressed in its Declaration of Independence. Recently, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned Israel that when you drive the civilian population into the arms of the enemy, you can “replace a tactical victory with a strategic defeat.” We hope that you will do what you can to help Israel avoid that strategic defeat and to save lives in Gaza, Israel, and the region.

In particular, we urge the Biden Administration and Congress to take further, firmer steps to bring about the necessary changes in the situation, including:

• Press for a renewed pause in the fighting that enables the safe return of the remaining hostages and a dramatic surge in humanitarian assistance. 
• Take the lead on outlining a plan for post-war Gaza reconstruction and a pathway to a viable Palestinian state. 
• Commit the United States to significant funding for humanitarian aid both now and as part of a reconstruction plan.
• Institute strict oversight and scrutiny of arms and material purchased with US assistance to ensure they are used in compliance with domestic and international law. Senator Chris Van Hollen’s proposed amendment to the President’s supplemental assistance request provides a commonsense and universal approach to oversight of weapons purchased with American assistance. 
• Rather than only vetoing Security Council resolutions related to the conflict, the US should draft and lead resolutions that accord with our policy and values, outlining terms for further pauses in the fighting, holding Israel and other actors accountable when their actions violate international law or contradict US interests and renewing the global commitment to a two-state solution, while articulating parameters to guide negotiations.
   

We urge the Congress and the Biden administration to take immediate action to ensure that the Israeli government significantly shifts course before this conflict costs more lives and wreaks more pain and devastation. The way the current campaign is being pursued only jeopardizes Israel’s efforts to defeat Hamas and secure the release of the hostages – while laying the groundwork for even deeper, long-term security challenges.

This letter was initiated by Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz of Willimantic and is largely based on a December 21 letter from J Street to President Biden (https://jstreet.org/press-releases/act-now-save-lives-hostages-chance-for-long-term-peace/ and the policy principles they have enunciated since the beginning of the war (https://jstreet.org/j-streets-response-to-hamas-attacks-israeli-palestinian-crisis/ We appreciate your responsiveness over the years to Rabbi Shwartz and other J Street supporters who have met with you to discuss promoting a pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy agenda.