The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) yesterday expressed its support and appreciation for US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s letter to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo concerning the Israeli annexation plan for parts of Palestine in the West Bank.
“ADC strongly stands against the illegal Israeli occupation and sees plans for further annexation as a step towards cementing apartheid. We stand with the signatories of Representative Ocasio-Cortez’s letter in asking Secretary Pompeo to take the necessary action needed to reverse Israel’s plan for annexation and call on him to think of the families that will be displaced and the homes that will be demolished as a result,” said ADC.
The American-Arab organization said it also strongly endorses action to “ensure non-recognition” of any newly annexed Palestinian territories. In addition, it backed the letter’s promise to “pursue legislation that conditions the $3.8 billion in US military funding to Israel to ensure that US taxpayers are not supporting annexation in any way”.
Israel said it would start with the annexation of occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank as early as July 1.
“More theft of Palestinian land will have severe human rights implications and foreign policy impacts,” said ADC. “There must be consequences if annexation is carried out as the world can no longer stand by as apartheid is explicitly executed against Palestinians in part using our taxpayer dollars.”
ADC said it stands in solidarity “with our Palestinian brothers and sisters both in Palestine and in the diaspora and will continue our fight against injustice and intolerance. We are committed to spreading awareness and educating our public on Palestinian human rights and will continue to put pressure on our legislators to stand not just against annexation, but against the greater apartheid happening to Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli occupation.”
