Carbajal’s Charade

Congressmember Carbajal’s announcement that he co-sponsored a House resolution for a humanitarian pause in Gaza suggests he supports an end to the hostilities, but let us not be misled. A pause is merely a few days of relief before Israel drops another 2,000-pound bomb on orphans foraging for food.

Israel’s imposition of collective punishment against the 2.3 million people of the Gaza Strip for the Hamas attacks on October 7 has prompted South Africa to file an 84-page application in the World Court to charge Israel with genocide.

In his press release, Carbajal, however, makes no mention of genocide, telling us only that he supports President Biden’s supplemental funding request for humanitarian aid for Gaza.

This is Carbajal’s charade.

In reality, Biden’s $106 billion supplemental is a bonus to the weapons industry, for the legislation includes another $14.3 billion for weapons and military “assistance” for Israel, $61 billion to continue the war in Ukraine, $13.6 billion to militarize the border with 1,300 additional security guards, $2 billion in arms for Taiwan to prepare for war with China, and $9 billion for humanitarian aid spread among Israel, Ukraine, and Gaza.

Carbajal was elected to represent the Central Coast, where voters supported the 2020 anti-war platform of then-presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

Despite Carbajal’s constituents’ preference for peace over war, Carbajal has refused to support a lasting ceasefire in Gaza.

Is Carbajal reading the room? Or will it take a primary jolt from the left — from Helena Pasquarella of Ojai, a peace candidate on the March 5 ballot — to ensure our voices are heard?

As Biden circumvents Congress, twice — to send more weapons to Israel, then to bomb 60 targets in Yemen — we need stronger leadership for peace, not further militarization.

Marcy Winograd and Omar Figueredo are co-chairs of the Central Coast Antiwar Coalition, a CODEPINK partner.