Pelosi urges Biden to stop sending arms to Israel – DW – 04/06/2024

Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi is a close ally of the president Joe BidenAnd 39 Democratic lawmakers signed a letter to the president calling for an end to arms shipments. Israel.

In a letter made public Friday, the legislators expressed their “concern and anger” over the April 1 attack that killed seven people. Collaborators From World Central Kitchen (WCK), an NGO founded by Spanish chef José Andrés.

In light of the attack, they are calling on Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to reconsider sending weapons to Israel, and to halt future arms transfers pending a full investigation into the attack and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“In light of the recent attacks against humanitarian workers and the increasingly severe humanitarian crisis, we believe it is unjustified to approve these arms transfers,” said the letter, signed by 39 Democrats, including Pelosi and progressive Rashida Tlaib. , and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Turn in favor of Israel

They are also asking Biden not to continue sending Israel the 2,000 small- and medium-diameter projectiles authorized this week ahead of the attack against seven WCK volunteers.

The letter is relevant because it represents a turn in favor of Israel by Pelosi, who has been a staunch defender of the Jewish state throughout her career, and shows that the idea of ​​ending arms shipments to Israel is no longer a demand. Not only in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, but that political power is spreading throughout.

And the letter comes after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, another key Democrat, called in March for early elections in Israel, calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an obstacle to peace.

ct (efe, tagesschau)