Labor Unions Urge Biden to Halt Military Aid for Israel

A coalition of labor unions representing millions of U.S. workers on Tuesday urged the Biden administration to halt military aid to Israel—which is waging war on the Gaza Strip—as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington, D.C.

Since Israel launched its assault on Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas-led attack, U.S. labor leaders and unions have been among the individuals and groups pushing for an end to U.S. complicity—in the form of both weapons and diplomatic support on the world stage—in what is being investigated by the International Court of Justice as genocide.

The groups behind the letter are the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), National Education Association (NEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Auto Workers (UAW), and United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (UE).

"The Israeli government will continue to pursue its vicious response to the horrific attacks of October 7th until it is forced to stop."

Writing to Democratic President Joe Biden—who on Sunday dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris—the seven unions called for a pause on U.S. military aid to Israel "as part of the work to secure an immediate and permanent cease-fire in the war in Gaza."

After expressing disappointment that neither Israel nor Hamas, which governs Gaza, accepted a cease-fire proposal Biden outlined this spring, the coalition warned that "the Israeli government will continue to pursue its vicious response to the horrific attacks of October 7th until it is forced to stop."

As the letter details:

Recent reports only underscore the urgency of our demands. Large numbers of Palestinian civilians, many of them children, continue to be killed, reportedly often with U.S.-manufactured bombs. Rising tensions in the region threaten to ensnare even more innocent civilians in a wider war. And the humanitarian crisis deepens by the day, with famine, mass displacement, and destruction of basic infrastructure including schools and hospitals. We have spoken directly to leaders of Palestinian trade unions who told us heartwrenching stories of the conditions faced by working people in Gaza.

The Israeli assault and blockade have killed at least 39,090 Palestinians and injured another 90,147, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Most of the territory's 2.3 million have been displaced—many multiple times—and thousands are missing and presumed dead beneath damaged and destroyed buildings.

The letter argues that "Israel's refusal to minimize civilian harm and its demonstrated restriction of U.S. humanitarian aid call for a halt to U.S. military aid" under the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act, challenging a U.S. State Department report from May which enabled the Biden administration and Congress to keep arming Israeli forces.

The coalition's call comes as Netanyahu prepares to address a joint meeting of Congress, a Wednesday event expected to be met with protests, including from lawmakers. Harris—who faces pressure to oppose more U.S. arms for Israel—has opted to attend a previously scheduled event instead of presiding over his speech. The Israeli leader is set to meet with Biden, who is recovering from Covid-19, at the White House on Thursday.

"Our unions are hearing the cries of humanity as this vicious war continues," APWU president Mark Dimondstein said in a statement Tuesday. "Working people and our unions are horrified that our tax dollars are financing this ongoing tragedy. We need a cease-fire now, and the best way to secure that is to shut off U.S. military aid to Israel."

Union members and other observers were quick to note the coalition letter's significance. Yasmine Taeb, a human rights lawyer and advocate, said: "Wow. This is huge."

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, encouraged "those who thought that fury over Biden's facilitation of the Palestinian genocide was limited to Arabs and Gen Z" to read the letter.

Workers who belong to groups in the coalition expressed pride in the letter to Biden while others urged their unions to follow suit.

The Democratic Socialists of America National Labor Commission declared: "Major unions are taking a stand against genocide! Stop military aid to Israel. Free Palestine!"