Take Action to Aid Palestine

John Claffey, Class of 2013
March 28, 2012
Filed under Quill

No doubt, you, students, faculty, and staff, are all aware of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The issue here is not land control, it is human life. Recently, Israel blocked aid to the Gaza Strip coming from countries such as Turkey because the Israeli government was suspicious about what was contained in the aid packages. In October of 2011 the U.S. Congress, more specifically three congressmen, blocked $200 million dollars in aid destined for Palestine.

In an article published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz it said, “The Congress made its first official statement about the blocking of almost $200 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority on Monday, calling it a ‘tool of Congressional oversight.’” Bradley Goehner, Communications Director of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, explained the funding has been put on hold while Congress seeks further details about the Palestinian Authority’s usage of the funds. $40 million dollars in aid was released late in 2011 to go to the Gaza Strip. 80% of the money has yet to be released. Yahoo.com reported in late 2011 that the Obama administration had asked Congress for $513.4 million in aid for the Palestinians in the 2012 fiscal year.

We are calling on all of you to send a letter, make phone call, or send an email to your Representatives and Senators in Congress urging them to vote to release any funds that would give humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine. Thank you for bringing awareness to this important humanitarian issue.