Letter Focuses on Israel’s
Killing of Journalists in Gaza
Dave DeCamp / Antiwar.com

(August 15, 2024) — Antiwar.com has joined 19 other news outlets, seven press freedom organizations, and 113 journalists in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for the US to end weapons transfers to Israel to stop supporting the slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza.

The letter was initiated by the Courage Foundation, Defending Rights & Dissent, and Roots Action and focuses on the Israeli targeting of journalists in Gaza.

“Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed more than 160 Palestinian journalists. This is the largest recorded number of journalists killed in any war. While Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of the densely populated Gaza means no civilians are safe, Israel has also been repeatedly documented deliberately targeting journalists,” the letter reads.

The letter notes that the mass killing in Gaza would not be possible without US weapons and support. “Israel’s military actions are not possible without US weapons, US military aid, and US diplomatic support. By providing the weapons being used to deliberately kill journalists, you are complicit in one of the gravest affronts to press freedom today,” it says.

Besides targeting Journalists with bombs, the Israeli government has also cracked down on the press, including by shutting down Al Jazeera in Israel. “Israel has gone to great lengths to suppress media coverage of its war in Gaza, imposing military censorship on both its own journalists and international reporters operating in the country; and, with Egypt’s help, blocking all foreign journalists from Gaza. Israel shut down Al Jazeera, raided its office, seized its equipment, and blocked its broadcasts and website within Israel,” the letter reads.

The letter points to US foreign assistance laws that prohibit military aid to countries credibly accused of human rights violations. ” Israel’s well-documented pattern of extrajudicial executions of journalists is a gross violation of human rights,” it says.

The letter concludes by urging an immediate halt to US military support for Israel. “The US is providing the weapons Israel continually uses to target Palestinian journalists in Gaza. This is a violation of International law and US domestic law. We urge you to immediately cease the transfer of all weapons to Israel,” it reads.

Blinken and other US officials claim they’re concerned about the massive civilian death toll in Gaza but continue to arm Israel. Earlier this week, Blinken’s State Department approved a series of arms deals for Israel worth over $20 billion, which came hours after Israeli strikes in Gaza killed newborn twins.