AFSC
WASHINGTON, DC (April 11, 2024) - On April 15, people across the country will hold events and conduct advocacy visits with their Congresspeople, demanding that they stop voting to spend tax dollars on weapons for Israel. These actions come after more than 33,000 people in Gaza have been killed by Israeli attacks. The day of action is organized by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker organization that has worked in Gaza since 1948. More information and public action locations can be found at https://afsc.org/April15
“The U.S. government is deeply complicit in the deaths of thousands of Palestinian children and families,” said Joyce Ajlouny, General Secretary for AFSC. “Our tax dollars are buying the bombs dropping on their loved ones and the tanks that are destroying their cities. As a Quaker and a Palestinian I know that this violence will never bring peace. We need an immediate cease-fire, an end to military funding from the U.S., and a political process that will end the apartheid system and bring true peace and justice for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Historically AFSC and other groups have held events on Tax Day, drawing attention to the ways tax dollars are misused to fund war and militarism instead of life-sustaining programs. This year, they are highlighting the work of activists across the U.S. and world who reject their government’s support for war crimes in Gaza. Over the last six months, tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have been killed using weapons provided by the United States. Humanitarian aid workers delivering vital assistance continue to be attacked and killed at unprecedented rates. The blockade and killing of humanitarian aid workers are causing widespread famine and starvation in Gaza. Participants are asking their Congresspeople to support: an immediate and permanent cease-fire now; unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza; support for the release of all held captive and in prison; and an end to U.S. military funding and weapons for Israel.
“In the face of the immense devastation and loss of life enacted upon Palestinians by the Israeli military, the majority of people in the U.S. want a cease-fire,” said Jennifer Bing, Director of AFSC’s Palestine Activism Program. “This scale of devastation is only possible because of financial, political, and military support from the United States. We need our members of Congress to listen to their constituents and their conscience and say no to any additional military funding for Israel and yes to cease-fire and humanitarian access.”
In addition to visiting Senators and Representatives in their district offices, AFSC has organized an effort to visit every congressional office in Washington DC to deliver these demands.
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The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.