Action Alert: Don't Let the House Impose Sanctions on the Palestinians!

I just finished calling my representative's office in the House in regards to HR 4681 "The Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006" which seeks to impose sanctions against the Palestinian people for choosing to participate in democratic elections and subsequently electing Hamas to power.

The call was very easy and took literally 2 minutes from me, and thankfully congressman Jim Moran will most likely vote against the bill. Please don't underestimate the power you have as a constituent of your congressman. Just call 1-888-355-3588 and ask for your representative in the House (you can find out who he/she is by entering your zip code here).

Once you are connected to your congressman's office, tell the staffer that you are a constituent and would like to urge you congressman to vote against HR 4681 because sanctions against the Palestinians would not be in the interest of the US right now, nor would it help put an end to the suffering and conflict in the Middle East today. This is not the right step, and will only cause more chaos in the territories which are already experiencing a humanitarian crisis. If your congressman is already voting against it, then call to express your support for his/her decision which is just as important as calling to express concern.

The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation summarizes the reason why we are against HR 4681:

HR4681 is the most draconian sanctions bill that Congress has EVER considered imposing against the Palestinians. The anti-Palestinian sanctions in it include:

* Restricting US humanitarian aid and potentially eliminating entire US aid projects, such as infrastructure and small business development;

* Threatening to withhold a portion of US dues to the United Nations because it maintains bodies that advocate for Palestinian human rights and seek to hold Israel accountable to international law;

* Defining territory controlled nominally by the Palestinian Authority as a "terrorist sanctuary", thereby requiring US businesses to obtain special export licenses for most goods destined for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and gutting the provisions of the US free trade agreement with the West Bank and Gaza;

* Refusing visas to members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the Palestinian Mission to the UN, even those who belong to political parties that the United States does not classify as "foreign terrorist organizations";

* Restricting the movement of PLO diplomats at the United Nations and threatening to close the PLO's office in Washington, and;

* Instructing the US representative to the World Bank to use the considerable strength of the United States in international financial institutions to vote against the continuation of humanitarian aid projects.

Please take 2 minutes out of your day and call 1-888-355-3588 right now, for the sake of the Palestinian people.

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