We in Veterans For Peace are military veterans whose purpose is to serve the cause of world peace. We commemorate November 11th as Armistice Day-the day dedicated to ending war. It is fitting that today we are standing with Taxpayers Against Genocide in recognizing our right to present testimony and evidence to the International Criminal Court of Israel’s genocide against the people of Palestine. The government of the United States is complicit in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Palestine.
We support the Taxpayers Against Genocide filing of evidence of genocide committed by the President of the United States and the Secretary of State of the United States with the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in the Hague.
As veterans who have witnessed the horror of war, we are outraged by Israel's slaughter of thousands of civilians in Gaza. The military assault against children, women and men, by air, by sea and by land, is a clear violation of international laws of war and of human rights. At least 75,586 adult Palestinians have been murdered and 21,638 children, in addition to destroying homes and essential services. Veterans For Peace joins millions of people around the world who are shocked by this vicious slaughter.
We in Veterans For Peace understand that U.S. government officials and weapons manufacturers are violating:
- The Conventional Arms Transfer Policy, which prohibits U.S. weapons transfers when it’s likely they will be used by Israel to commit genocide; crimes against humanity; and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions
- The Foreign Assistance Act, which forbids the provision of assistance to a government which "engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.”
- The U.S. War Crimes Act, which forbids grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, including willful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, willfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, and unlawful deportation or transfer, perpetrated by the Israeli Occupying Forces.
- Arms Export Control Act, which says countries that receive US military aid can only use weapons for legitimate self-defense and internal security. Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza goes way beyond self-defense and internal security.
- The Leahy Law, which prohibits the U.S. Government from using funds for assistance to units of foreign security forces where there is credible information implicating that unit in the commission of gross violations of human rights.
- The Genocide Convention Implementation Act, which was enacted to implement U.S. obligations under the Genocide Convention, provides for criminal penalties for individuals who commit or incite others to commit genocide.
We support the Taxpayers Against Genocide filing of evidence with the International Criminal Court against the President of the United States and Secretary of State of the United States for crimes of genocide committed against the Palestinian people of Gaza.