Carbajal — Advocate an Arms Embargo on Israel for a Ceasefire

Dear Representative Salud Carbajal,

As constituents invested in our local and global communities, we urge you to advocate and vote for an arms embargo on Israel to enforce an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

The situation in Gaza is worsening daily. Despite clear violations of international law by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), U.S. military aid to Israel continues. The Leahy Law, which bars aid to foreign forces involved in gross human rights violations, is being ignored. The IDF’s actions — unlawful killings, torture, infrastructure destruction, and the blockade causing starvation and polio among 2.3 million Gazans — raise grave legal and moral concerns about ongoing U.S. support.

Over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed, with estimates from The Lancet suggesting the toll could reach 200,000. Eighty percent of Gaza’s infrastructure is destroyed, and nearly 2 million people are homeless, enduring extreme humanitarian conditions due to Israel’s genocidal siege. This is not self-defense; this is genocide–and you are complicit, having voted  to arm Israel’s mass murder of civilians, suspend UNRWA deliveries of food, water and medicine and silence dissent in the US with conflation of anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. The UN describes it as a campaign of terror against civilians, driven by repeated violations of the rules of war by the IDF. Yet, you continue to endorse arms transfers fueling this violence.

These arms shipments not only enable the ghastly slaughter in Gaza but also support illegal settlements and violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank. This fuels violence that risks escalating into a larger regional conflict, further destabilizing the area and endangering countless more lives. 

In fact, the unwavering support for Israel has also funded the murdering of civilians beyond Palestine, as was exhibited by Israel’s technology-based terrorist attacks in Lebanon which took place on September 17th and 18th. This administration is leading us into a regional war.

A poll published on June 7 by CBS News and YouGov shows that most Democrats, independents, and nearly 40 percent of Republicans support ending arms shipments to Israel. This reflects growing bipartisan opposition, yet the Biden-Harris administration, which you support, remains more intransigent than even a significant portion of Republicans. By aligning with this stance, you are increasingly out of step with the evolving consensus among voters and experts.

We urge you to invoke the Leahy Law, Arms Export Control Act, and Foreign Assistance Act, and lead efforts in Congress to halt all weapons transfers to Israel. Your support for these transfers, despite Israel’s violations, tarnishes your record and fuels ongoing atrocities. How many more innocent lives must be lost before you stop funding this suffering?

While you support President Biden’s call for a ceasefire, it’s only a temporary fix. A ceasefire is urgent, but without ending the occupation, apartheid, and systemic violence against Palestinians, future suffering is inevitable. We need a lasting solution, not just a pause in violence.

It’s also crucial to stop misusing “anti-Semitism” to deflect legitimate criticism of Israeli policies. Opposing apartheid and human rights abuses is about justice, not bigotry. Conflating state criticism with anti-Semitism weakens the fight against real anti-Semitism and silences Jewish voices who oppose Israel’s apartheid and stand with Palestinians.

Your criticism of Netanyahu’s rhetoric is acknowledged, but it must also recognize Israel’s role as an occupying power enforcing apartheid. Ongoing illegal settlements in the West Bank and the Gaza siege have created a severe humanitarian crisis, as reported by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

The International Court of Justice has affirmed the Palestinian right to self-determination and condemned Israel’s actions as illegal, stressing that all states must not recognize or support this illegal occupation. Ongoing U.S. military aid to Israel undermines these principles and perpetuates human rights violations.

We urge you to advocate for an arms embargo on Israel, a permanent ceasefire, the restoration of UNRWA humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the redirection of funds to meet urgent needs in our communities. Our taxpayer dollars should improve health care, housing, education, and social services—not support an apartheid regime’s military.

Supporting arms deliveries while calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid is a contradiction that defies logic and decency. We urge you to take a more proactive approach, prioritizing human rights and international law. Isn’t this essential for upholding a rules-based international order?

History will judge those who continue to arm a genocide. We urge you to show the leadership and values you claim to uphold. Your action or inaction on this issue will define your legacy.

We trust you will address our concerns with the urgency they deserve. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

Readers are invited to sign onto this letter here.

Sincerely,

TriCounties Palestine Solidarity Network
            Barbara Parmet, Santa Barbara Chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace
            Bassim Wahhad, San Luis Obispo, Chair, Central Coast Coalition for Justice in Palestine
            Carolyn Krueger, Morro Bay, Central Coast Antiwar Coalition
            David Yohe, Morro Bay, Central Coast Antiwar Coalition
            Grace Marguerite Barnard, Solvang CA, SYV Liberation Association, Central Coast Antiwar
                        Coalition
            Marcelino Sepulveda, Buellton, The People’s Coalition for Social & Economic Justice
            Marcy Winograd, Santa Barbara, co-chair, Central Coast Antiwar Coalition; coordinator
                        CODEPINK World Court Campaign
            Rand Clark, Santa Barbara Chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace
            Robert Skinner, San Luis Obispo, retired history teacher
            Shanti Sandosham – Ventura, Venturans for a Just Palestine