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For Immediate Release

March 9, 2003

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CFL ALERT: NATIONAL DAY OF ADVOCACY TO OPPOSE ISRAEL'S AID REQUEST ON MARCH 12 AND 26. (part of a national call with other peace groups)

The government of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is requesting $4 billion in military assistance and $8-$10 billion in loan guarantees. We urge all Americans of conscience to oppose all aid to Israel. The Israeli government is using American weapons to kill innocent Palestinian civilians in the Holy Land. The actions of the Israeli military are criminal under international law and in violation of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act, which limits the use of these weapons to "legitimate self-defense." Killing the indigenous population of Palestine is not a form of self defense. It is cold blooded murder.

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TALKING POINTS:

* According to a February 2003 opinion poll by Zogby International, 57% of Americans oppose this Israeli aid request while only 29% support it.

* Sending additional U.S. weapons to Israel would be criminal since Israel is using these weapons in violation of international law and in violation of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act. Congress should enforce this law by blocking the flow of weapons to Israel. Israel has systematically used American weapons against innocent Palestinian men, women and children. The killing of civilians with American weapons contradicts the rhetoric from the Bush Administration that the U.S. is an honest broker for peace.

* In 2002, 43 states and the District of Columbia faced a combined $27 billion budgetary shortfall. The money that Israel is requesting could be used to much greater effect to pay for underfunded domestic programs. $14 billion could pay for 2.1 million children to attend Head Start programs, health care coverage for 5.9 million children, the building of 210,000 affordable housing units, or hiring 280,000 elementary school teachers.

TAKE ACTION:

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Citizens for Fair Legislation is a grassroots organization committed to encouraging a fair domestic and foreign policy with an emphasis on the US/Arab world.

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