Former Speaker of the House Pelosi Signs Petition Urging President Biden to Halt Weapons Supply to Israel
The military campaign by Israel against Gaza Strip has faced increasing international criticism as the local health agency reports over 33,000 people killed in the conflict, with residents in the densely populated coastal enclave suffering from widespread hunger.
Former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, a long-standing member of the Democratic Party, is among those opposing the transfer of weapons to Israel. This growing sentiment within the party indicates a shift in the dominant view on the matter.
On April 5, Pelosi and 36 other Democratic members signed a letter urging the Biden administration to conduct a separate investigation into Israel’s airstrikes, which resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen on April 1.
The letter stated, “Given the recent attacks on aid workers and the worsening humanitarian crisis, we believe that approving weapon transfers is unreasonable.” It was signed by Pelosi and other Democratic representatives, including Barbara Lee, Rashida Tlaib, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
On April 5, the Israeli military dismissed two officers and formally reprimanded senior commanders after an investigation into the airstrikes revealed serious errors and violations of protocol.
Prior to this, President Biden had a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, emphasizing the need for Israel to do more to protect civilians, warning that the US would reconsider its policies otherwise.
On the same day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation into the deaths of all 196 aid workers killed in Gaza since the conflict began on October 7, 2023. He also expressed hope for improved access to aid and a swift and effective humanitarian response.
The UN Security Council held a meeting on April 5 to discuss the famine in Gaza and the attacks on aid workers. Slovenia’s ambassador to the UN, Samuel Zbogar, warned, “If we are meeting in northern Gaza, all 15 of us will have to skip meals. Ten of us will go without food day and night. Half of us will be in desperate need of humanitarian aid.”
In his statement at the meeting, senior UN relief official Ramesh Rajasingham called on all countries to prevent violations of humanitarian law, “through diplomatic and economic pressure, regulating arms exports to adhere to the rules of warfare, and collaborating against impunity.”
The UK ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward, emphasized that aid workers should never be attacked, saying, “Israel must do more to protect them and ensure their safety so they can provide life-saving humanitarian assistance.”
Israel has agreed to reopen the Erez crossing in the northern part of Gaza and allow temporary use of the Ashdod port in southern Israel following a request from President Biden for specific steps to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.