April 16 letter to the News and Observer regarding Israel/Palestine

April 16 letter to the News and Observer regarding Israel/Palestine. As deaths escalate among Israelis and Palestinians, the Bush Administration must do more than demand an end to the violence. It can and must take restraining action. Civilians are being killed with American weapons sold (like the hundreds of laser-guided missiles) or given (including 65,000 M-16 rifles and 2500 grenade launchers) to Israel. This use is contrary to the Arms Export Control Act.

Even before this month, the Israeli Center for Human Rights reported over 800 Palestinian civilians have been killed by Israeli forces in the Occupied Territories, including 200 children under 18. Now there are dozens more Israeli civilian casualties and hundreds more Palestinians. People on both sides live in fear, grief, and yearn for peace.

The Committee for Active Non-violent Responses to Terror believes that one way we can help stop this tragedy is by urging Congress? through Sen. John Edwards, Representative David Price and others?to tell the President to place equal demands on both sides when demanding a halt to violence, and take immediate action to enforce the Arms Export Control Act. These actions, while not stopping Sharon's extreme military tactics tomorrow, would enhance American credibility on promoting the rule of law and would support the recent UN Security Council resolutions.

Violence is being subsidized by U.S. taxpayers. The U.S. could make a significant and immediate contribution to peace in the Middle East by enforcing U.S. conditions on weapons transfers to Israel. Our Congressional delegation should make this case to the Administration.

Nancy Milio

Committee for Active, Non-violent Responses to Terror Society of Friends (Quaker), Chapel Hill