Upholding U.S. Law and Human Rights in Our Foreign Policy
I am writing to express my concern and to offer a potential path forward regarding U.S. policy on Israel and its ongoing military genocide actions in Gaza.The ongoing protests calling for an end to U.S. support for Israel's military actions highlight a significant challenge. Many activists are advocating for an arms embargo against Israel, a position your foreign policy advisor, Phil Gordon, has ruled out. However, outright refusal to consider such measures risks alienating key progressive supporters, especially in pivotal states.
There is a principled stance you could take that would neither require endorsing an arms embargo nor alienating your base: enforcing the Leahy Law. This legislation prohibits U.S. assistance to any foreign security force unit that commits gross human rights violations unless the foreign government takes adequate punitive action. Despite its clear intent, the Leahy Law has never been applied to Israel, even though credible allegations of human rights abuses by Israeli security forces exist.
A former State Department official, Charles Blaha, who oversaw the enforcement of the Leahy Law from 2016 to 2023, has pointed out that while most countries are held accountable under this law, Israel has consistently received special treatment. This failure to apply the law to Israel not only undermines U.S. legal standards but also weakens our commitment to a "rules-based order."
By advocating for the consistent enforcement of the Leahy Law, you can take a strong, principled stance that upholds U.S. law and reinforces our nation's commitment to human rights. This approach would signal a clear break from the current administration's near-unconditional support for Israel.
It would also demonstrate that, as a former prosecutor, you are committed to upholding the law, no matter how challenging the circumstances.
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