House Voting on Anti-Palestinian Legislation Tuesday

The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, of which GRI is a member, has learned that the House of Representatives will vote on Tuesday, May 9 on HR4681, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006. This bill imposes draconian economic and diplomatic sanctions against the Palestinian people for exercising their democratic rights.

TAKE ACTION TODAY! Pick up the phone now to call your Representative and urge a NO vote on HR4681, the Palestinian-Anti-Terrorism Act (talking points below).

To contact your Representative, call the Capitol switchboard toll free at 1-888-355-3588 and ask for your Representative, or click here.

TAKE ACTION AGAIN! Despite the US Campaign’s urging to the contrary, this resolution will come up for a vote « under suspension », meaning that there will be only limited debate and no opportunity for amendments to be offered. This parliamentary procedure is supposed to be reserved for non-controversial legislation such as naming post offices.

Contact Speaker of the House Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and House Majority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) and protest to them this misuse of « suspending the rules ». Demand a full and open debate on this controversial legislation and tell them to bring it up under normal procedures.

Call the switchboard toll free at 1-888-355-3588 or the Speaker of the House at 202-225-0600 and the House Majority Leader 202-225-4000.

TALKING POINTS:

Please vote no on HR4681, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, because it imposes draconian economic and diplomatic sanctions against the Palestinian people for voting, including:

* Restricting US humanitarian aid and potentially eliminating entire US aid projects, such as infrastructure and small business development;

* Threatening to withhold a portion of US dues to the United Nations because it maintains bodies that advocate for Palestinian human rights and seek to hold Israel accountable to international law;

* Defining territory controlled nominally by the Palestinian Authority as a « terrorist sanctuary », thereby requiring US businesses to obtain special export licenses for most goods destined for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and gutting the provisions of the US free trade agreement with the West Bank and Gaza;

* Refusing visas to members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, even those who belong to political parties that the United States does not classify as « foreign terrorist organizations »;

* Restricting the movement of PLO diplomats at the United Nations and threatening to close the PLO’s office in Washington, and;

* Instructing the US representative to the World Bank to use the considerable strength of the United States in international financial institutions to vote against the continuation of humanitarian aid projects.

CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY: 1-888-355-3588