In an unprecedented legal move, five Palestinians from Gaza, the West Bank, and the United States have filed a lawsuit against the US government, challenging its military aid to Israel. The plaintiffs accuse the US of enabling severe human rights abuses through its financial and military support.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, targets the US Department of State, alleging it has failed to uphold the Leahy Law—a federal regulation prohibiting military assistance to foreign units implicated in gross human rights violations. The plaintiffs argue that Israel’s military operations, particularly in Gaza, violate this law due to widespread reports of war crimes, including torture, indiscriminate bombings, and extrajudicial killings.
Central to the case is Amal Gaza, a teacher from Gaza who has been displaced seven times since the current conflict began on October 7, 2023. Tragically, 20 of her family members were killed in Israeli airstrikes. “If the US stopped funding military units committing these atrocities, my family and countless others would not have to endure such unimaginable loss,” Amal said in her statement.
The plaintiffs highlight alarming statistics: over 45,000 Palestinians in Gaza have died since the conflict erupted, according to UN estimates. Meanwhile, the violence has spread to the West Bank, where more than 770 Palestinians have been killed since October 7.
The lawsuit also points to the significant role US military aid plays in fueling the conflict. Israel receives $3.8 billion annually in military assistance from the US, with an additional $17.9 billion reportedly allocated since the latest escalation. Critics argue these funds directly support attacks on civilian areas, violating international law.
Human rights organizations and advocacy groups, including Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), are backing the lawsuit. Raed Jarrar, DAWN’s advocacy director, emphasized the case’s importance in holding the US accountable. “This is about ensuring the government abides by its own laws. The Leahy Law clearly prohibits aid to units involved in widespread abuses, and yet the violations in Gaza continue with US support,” Jarrar said.
The lawsuit arrives amid mounting international pressure on President Joe Biden’s administration to reconsider its unconditional support for Israel. Activists argue that applying the Leahy Law to Israel would disqualify most of its military units from receiving US assistance, effectively halting their operations.
Beyond the courtroom, the case has ignited broader questions about US foreign policy and its role in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Critics contend that US military aid should come with stricter human rights conditions, ensuring taxpayer dollars are not used to fund violations of international law.
As the case moves forward, it raises significant implications for US-Israeli relations and the future of military aid policies. Whether the courts will enforce the Leahy Law against Israel remains uncertain, but this landmark challenge has already reignited global debates over accountability, human rights, and the cost of conflict.
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Palestinians File Landmark Lawsuit to Halt US Military Aid to Israel
In a bold legal move, five Palestinians from Gaza, the West Bank, and the United States have launched a lawsuit against the US government, aiming to stop its military aid to Israel. The plaintiffs argue that US support has enabled severe human rights violations in the ongoing conflict.
The case challenges the US Department of State’s adherence to a federal law that prohibits military assistance to foreign units implicated in gross human rights abuses. The law, established to prevent the misuse of taxpayer funds, bars aid to forces involved in acts such as torture, indiscriminate bombings, and extrajudicial killings.
The plaintiffs point to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which erupted in October 2023, as evidence of widespread violations. They claim that the US has failed to uphold its legal obligations despite the significant escalation of violence. Reports indicate that over 45,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with allegations of war crimes, including attacks on civilian areas, adding urgency to the case.
One of the plaintiffs, a teacher from Gaza who has been displaced multiple times during the conflict, shared her personal loss. She stated that 20 members of her family had been killed in airstrikes, emphasizing the devastating impact of continued military funding. “If the US stopped funding these military units, my family and countless others would not have to endure such suffering,” she said.
The lawsuit highlights the scale of US assistance, noting that Israel receives billions annually in military aid, with additional funding provided since the recent escalation. Critics argue that this aid directly supports military operations accused of violating international law.
Advocacy groups supporting the lawsuit stress that the US must abide by its own laws. They contend that the violations committed by Israeli forces are so severe and widespread that applying existing regulations would disqualify most Israeli military units from receiving further assistance.
The legal challenge also sheds light on violence in the West Bank, where reports indicate hundreds of Palestinian deaths in recent months. Human rights organizations have called for greater accountability, arguing that continued aid undermines peace efforts and exacerbates the humanitarian crisis.
This lawsuit raises broader questions about the role of military aid in the conflict and whether such assistance should be conditional on adherence to human rights standards. As the case moves forward, its implications could reshape debates about US foreign policy and its approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Whether the courts will enforce existing laws in this context remains to be seen, but the challenge has already drawn attention to the urgent need for accountability and change.
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