ICYMI: Senator Murray Cosponsors Resolution Calling for Delivery of Urgently Needed Humanitarian Aid to Civilians in Gaza
ICYMI: Senators Murray, Murphy, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration To Work With Israel To Take 5 Specific Steps To Get More Humanitarian Aid Into Gaza
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement applauding the National Security Memorandum (NSM) announced yesterday by the Biden Administration aimed at ensuring all U.S. security assistance is used in line with international law, including international humanitarian law. The memorandum will for the first time require that, prior to the transfer of U.S. security assistance, recipient countries must provide the U.S. with credible and reliable written assurances that they will comply with international humanitarian law and other applicable international law.
The NSM also requires that, prior to the transfer of U.S. security assistance, recipient countries must provide the U.S. with credible and reliable written assurances that they will facilitate and not arbitrarily deny or restrict U.S. humanitarian assistance and U.S.-supported international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance in areas of conflict. The NSM also creates robust reporting requirements to Congress on these provisions and additional assessments of compliance with U.S. laws and policies.
“Any security assistance the U.S. provides to other nations, including our allies, must be used in line with humanitarian law—this a basic principle and something I have always felt strongly about and worked to ensure,” said Senator Murray. “This new memorandum enshrines critical safeguards and oversight mechanisms to make sure that any U.S. security assistance for Israel is being used in a way that aligns with our values and national interests. It will also provide more transparency and help Congress exercise its national security responsibilities as a co-equal branch of government. This is an important policy that will support the Biden Administration’s continued efforts to press the Israeli government to protect civilian lives and facilitate the increased delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza.”
Since the Israel-Hamas war began, Senator Murray has made numerous calls for humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, and has urged President Biden to lead the international community in contributing to the United Nations’ emergency appeal to address the immediate humanitarian needs in the West Bank and Gaza. Murray called for a humanitarian pause in the war in November and as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she is working right now to pass a comprehensive national security supplemental package that includes aid to our allies in Israel and Ukraine and humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians. Last week, Senator Murray voiced her strong support for President Biden’s Executive Order allowing and deploying new sanctions on Israeli settlers involved in violent attacks against Palestinians, and joined her colleagues in urging the administration to encourage Israeli officials to take specific steps to significantly increase urgently needed humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza.
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