Elizabeth O.
According to Reuters, Pelosi joined dozens of congressional Democrats in signing a letter addressed to President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging them to halt the transfer of weapons to Israel.
The request comes in response to the international criticism faced by Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, which was launched following an attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
Also, Gaza health ministry has reported a death toll of over 33,000 people, with the region also grappling with severe famine.
Pelosi’s support for discontinuing the transfer of weapons to Israel, as a prominent member of Biden’s Democratic Party, suggests that this viewpoint is gaining traction within the party.
The letter, dated Friday, called on the Biden administration to conduct an independent investigation into an Israeli airstrike that resulted in the deaths of seven staff members from the aid group World Central Kitchen.
Additionally, the letter stated, “Given the recent attack on aid workers and the worsening humanitarian crisis, we believe it is unjustifiable to approve these weapons transfers.” It was signed by Pelosi and 36 other Democrats, including Representatives Barbara Lee, Rashida Tlaib, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
In response to the deaths of the aid workers, the Israeli military announced on Friday that two officers had been dismissed and senior commanders had been formally reprimanded after an inquiry revealed significant errors and protocol breaches.
However, During a phone call on Thursday, President Biden informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel must take further measures to protect civilians, or else the United States would reconsider its policy.
