Major labor unions urge Biden to halt military aid to Israel

A group of major labor unions pushed President Biden in a letter Tuesday to stop military aid to Israel as it continues to wage its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“We believe that immediately cutting US military aid to the Israeli government is necessary to bring about a peaceful resolution to this conflict,” the letter reads.

Signatories include the United Auto Workers (UAW), the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), the National Education Association (NEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) and United Electrical Workers (UE). 

In a Tuesday press release, APWU President Mark Dimondstein said the “unions are hearing the cries of humanity as this vicious war continues.”

“Working people and our unions are horrified that our tax dollars are financing this ongoing tragedy,” Dimondstein continued. “We need a ceasefire now, and the best way to secure that is to shut off US military aid to Israel.”

The letter comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu begins his visit to Washington this week. He is set to give a speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday and meet with both President Biden and former President Trump this week.

Netanyahu has faced calls to resign from leading Democrats in Congress over his handling of the war in Gaza and creating the current humanitarian crisis facing some 2 million Palestinians living in the strip. Nearly 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war.

The letter from unions said Netanyahu was also violating U.S. laws on foreign aid.

“Furthermore, 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 Control Export Act,” the letter from the unions states.

“Mr. President, the time to act decisively to end this war is now,” the letter continues. “Stopping US military aid to Israel is the quickest and most sure way to do so, it is what U.S. law demands, and it will show your commitment to securing a lasting peace in the region.”

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.