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Pro-Palestine activists protest Boeing’s planned arms sale to Israel

Sunday, 30 May 2021 8:08 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 30 May 2021 8:47 AM ]

Pro-Palestine activists gather outside Boeing International Headquarters in the US city of Chicago on May 29, 2021, to vent their anger at the company’s planned weapons sale to Israel. (Via Twitter)

Pro-Palestine activists have held a protest outside Boeing International Headquarters in the US city of Chicago to condemn the arms giant’s plan to sell precision-guided weapons worth $735 million to Israel.

The demonstration took place on Saturday, with the participants carrying Palestinian flags and chanting slogans such as “Free, free Palestine” and “End the occupation now.”

The protesters also held up placards reading, “$735 million to fund Palestinian genocide,” “Gaza under attack” and “Stop profiting off Palestinian deaths.”

They challenged the planned arms sale in the wake of the 11-day Israeli military aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip that killed 253 Palestinians, including 66 children and 39 women, and injured 1948 others.

Earlier this month, the US State Department granted Boeing a commercial license to sell Joint Direct Attack Munitions and Small Diameter Bombs to Israel, a congressional aide told The Times of Israel.

The sale, which Congress was officially notified of on May 5, concerned some House Democrats who have pressed the administration of US President Joe Biden to limit military support for the Israeli regime.

In the House, Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Mark Pocan submitted a joint resolution of disapproval aimed at blocking the sale. Additionally, Senator Bernie Sanders submitted a Senate version of the measure.

“At a moment when US-made bombs are devastating Gaza, and killing women and children, we cannot simply let another huge arms sale go through without even a congressional debate,” said Sanders upon submitting the resolution to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Sanders push to halt arms sale to Israeli regime faces obstacles

A legislative effort by US Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders to block a $735 million weapons sale to the Israeli regime by the Biden administration appears to be headed for failure by pro-Israel lawmakers.

US House Representative Ilhan Omar said in a statement, “The United States should not stand idly by while crimes against humanity are being committed with our backing."

“It would be appalling for the Biden Administration to go through with $735 million in precision-guided weaponry to Netanyahu without any strings attached in the wake of escalating violence and attacks on civilians," she added, referring to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"If this goes through this will be seen as a green light for continued escalation and will undercut any attempts at brokering a ceasefire."