Minnesota State Legislature
95 West University Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
May 14, 2021
President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
The Honorable Antony J. Blinken
Secretary of State
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Mr. President and Mr. Secretary:
We are legislators for the great State of
Minnesota, a state whose population is composed
of people of all faiths and national origins. The
people of Minnesota are globally minded citizens
who believe in international human rights for
all. As the elected representatives for our
districts, we have a duty to speak out when we
witness conduct by the United States government
and our allies when we believe such conduct goes against core Minnesota values.
We are appalled by recent attacks against
Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem and Gaza
beginning during the Holy Month of Ramadan, which
have drawn condemnation from human rights
organizations in the United States and Israel as
well as the international community and the
United Nations. We are calling on you to condemn
the violence against Palestinians who are losing
their homes as a result of the evictions, not
recognized under international law, that Israel
continues to carry out in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
Palestinians protesting the evictions have been
met by a brutal, authoritarian crackdown. This
includes multiple raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in
which police injured hundreds of worshippers
during the holy month of Ramadan by firing
less-lethal munitions. Now, we are witnessing
the escalation of violence in Israel and
Palestine, threatening the safety and stability of the entire world.
Hamas responded to the forced evictions in Sheikh
Jarrah and the raids of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by
bombarding Israel with rocket fire and Israel has
responded with airstrikes in Gaza. Both Hamas and
Israel are indiscriminately killing civilians
which is illegal under international law. This
escalation has resulted in the deaths of at least
119 Palestinians in Gaza, including at least 31
children, 6 Palestinians in the West Bank, and 9
Israelis, with death-tolls continuing to rise.
The response of the Biden administration
affirming unequivocal support for Israel with no
calls for the end of provocations in Sheikh
Jarrah or to end the bombardment of Gaza signals
to our ally that it has our permission to violate
human rights and commit war crimes with the full support of the United States.
The United States does not have diplomatic
relations with Hamas; Hamas is not an ally; and
the United States is not funding Hamas to the
tune of billions of dollars in aid and military
assistance to commit its crimes against the
civilian population of Israel. The United States
does, however, have tremendous influence over
Israel. You can demand an immediate end to
evictions in East Jerusalem, and you can pressure
Israel to exercise restraint. You have the power
to prevent further escalation by joining our
allies France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Britain
in urging Israel to halt settlement-building in
the occupied West Bank, and by making clear to
our ally Israel that US tax dollars will no
longer be used to support atrocities against the people of Palestine.
In Minnesota we are in a moment where people are
advocating for the civil rights of Black, brown,
and indigenous people in the wake of police
violence. Minnesota protestors were also met by a
state crackdown resulting in hundreds of arrests,
the violation of First Amendment rights, and
dozens of peaceful protestors sustaining life
altering injuries by police using less-lethal munitions.
As citizens of the world, we implore you to use
our countrys diplomatic leverage to pursue
peace. As legislators for a state which has been
roiled by police violence and murder and
resulting unrest, we implore you to send
Minnesotans the message that you will stand up
for human rights at home and abroad.
Sincerely,
Sen. Omar Fateh District 62
Sen. Jennifer McEwen District 7
Sen. John Marty District 66
Sen. Mary Kunesh District 41
Rep. Samantha Vang District 40B
Rep. Esther Agbaje District 59B
Rep. Fue Lee District 59A
Rep. Cedrick Frazier District 45A
Rep. Tina Liebling District 26A
Rep. Tou Xiong District 53A
Rep. Aisha Gomez District 62B
Rep. Jim Davnie District 63A
Rep. Rena Moran District 65A
Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn District 42B
95 West University Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
May 14, 2021
President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
The Honorable Antony J. Blinken
Secretary of State
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Mr. President and Mr. Secretary:
We are legislators for the great State of
Minnesota, a state whose population is composed
of people of all faiths and national origins. The
people of Minnesota are globally minded citizens
who believe in international human rights for
all. As the elected representatives for our
districts, we have a duty to speak out when we
witness conduct by the United States government
and our allies when we believe such conduct goes against core Minnesota values.
We are appalled by recent attacks against
Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem and Gaza
beginning during the Holy Month of Ramadan, which
have drawn condemnation from human rights
organizations in the United States and Israel as
well as the international community and the
United Nations. We are calling on you to condemn
the violence against Palestinians who are losing
their homes as a result of the evictions, not
recognized under international law, that Israel
continues to carry out in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
Palestinians protesting the evictions have been
met by a brutal, authoritarian crackdown. This
includes multiple raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in
which police injured hundreds of worshippers
during the holy month of Ramadan by firing
less-lethal munitions. Now, we are witnessing
the escalation of violence in Israel and
Palestine, threatening the safety and stability of the entire world.
Hamas responded to the forced evictions in Sheikh
Jarrah and the raids of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by
bombarding Israel with rocket fire and Israel has
responded with airstrikes in Gaza. Both Hamas and
Israel are indiscriminately killing civilians
which is illegal under international law. This
escalation has resulted in the deaths of at least
119 Palestinians in Gaza, including at least 31
children, 6 Palestinians in the West Bank, and 9
Israelis, with death-tolls continuing to rise.
The response of the Biden administration
affirming unequivocal support for Israel with no
calls for the end of provocations in Sheikh
Jarrah or to end the bombardment of Gaza signals
to our ally that it has our permission to violate
human rights and commit war crimes with the full support of the United States.
The United States does not have diplomatic
relations with Hamas; Hamas is not an ally; and
the United States is not funding Hamas to the
tune of billions of dollars in aid and military
assistance to commit its crimes against the
civilian population of Israel. The United States
does, however, have tremendous influence over
Israel. You can demand an immediate end to
evictions in East Jerusalem, and you can pressure
Israel to exercise restraint. You have the power
to prevent further escalation by joining our
allies France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Britain
in urging Israel to halt settlement-building in
the occupied West Bank, and by making clear to
our ally Israel that US tax dollars will no
longer be used to support atrocities against the people of Palestine.
In Minnesota we are in a moment where people are
advocating for the civil rights of Black, brown,
and indigenous people in the wake of police
violence. Minnesota protestors were also met by a
state crackdown resulting in hundreds of arrests,
the violation of First Amendment rights, and
dozens of peaceful protestors sustaining life
altering injuries by police using less-lethal munitions.
As citizens of the world, we implore you to use
our countrys diplomatic leverage to pursue
peace. As legislators for a state which has been
roiled by police violence and murder and
resulting unrest, we implore you to send
Minnesotans the message that you will stand up
for human rights at home and abroad.
Sincerely,
Sen. Omar Fateh District 62
Sen. Jennifer McEwen District 7
Sen. John Marty District 66
Sen. Mary Kunesh District 41
Rep. Samantha Vang District 40B
Rep. Esther Agbaje District 59B
Rep. Fue Lee District 59A
Rep. Cedrick Frazier District 45A
Rep. Tina Liebling District 26A
Rep. Tou Xiong District 53A
Rep. Aisha Gomez District 62B
Rep. Jim Davnie District 63A
Rep. Rena Moran District 65A
Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn District 42B
