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Hollywood Stars Call on U.S. to End Arms Sales to Israel in Campaign

Published

3 months ago

September 5, 2024

Artists4Ceasefire, the industry collective that has been pushing for an end to the current war in Gaza (and whose pin badges were worn by various attendees at this year’s Oscars ceremony), is spearheading a new initiative calling for a halt to illegal arms sales to Israel.

Through a partnership with artist Shepard Fairey and several charities — including Oxfam America, ActionAid USA and War Child Alliance/Children in Conflict — the group has launched a call to action bearing the message “Ceasefire Now, Stop Weapons, Save Lives” that urges the halt to what it says are “weapons transfers that violate U.S. and international law.” Such laws state it is illegal to supply or use weapons to commit “grave human rights violations,” including striking schools or hospitals, restricting humanitarian aid, and killing children.

To accompany the effort, Fairey has launched a new artwork featuring a peace dove holding barbed wire in its beak, an image he said “carries the message of the collective humanity we must find to rise above hostility and put an end to the destruction and devastation.”

The call comes as part of what Artists4Palestine says is its ongoing advocacy for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the safe return of all hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, a call it first issued through an open letter to President Joe Biden in October 2023 signed by more than 470 major Hollywood and cultural figures, including Joaquin Phoenix, Cate Blanchett, Jon Stewart, Kristen Stewart and Riz Ahmed.

Among the members of Artists4Ceasefire speaking out for the new campaign are Mark Ruffalo, Mahershala Ali, Cynthia Nixon and Ilana Glazer.

“Our demand is simple — our elected leaders must enforce existing U.S. and international humanitarian laws that prohibit the use of military assistance to commit ‘grave human rights violations,’” said Ruffalo, who has long been an advocate for Palestinian rights and has spoken out against Israeli military aggression. Ruffalo noted that the U.K. had recently announced that it was halting 30 arms exports licenses to Israel, something he said was “not enough, but it’s a start, and more than the U.S., the biggest supplier of arms and weapons to Netanyahu and the state of Israel, has done.”

The U.S. government “hold the cards to achieving a permanent ceasefire,” he added. “We keep hearing that they’re working around the clock to achieve a ceasefire. Let’s be clear: Biden already has the authority to condition or cut off offensive military aid to Israel if Netanyahu refuses to accept a permanent ceasefire.”

Ali, meanwhile, called for an end to the “mass destruction” being perpetrated using U.S. tax dollars. “We are standing together to remind U.S. and global leaders that the lives of millions of human beings are on the line — both Palestinians and Israelis — and by sending and endless barrage of weapons, we are in fact facilitating death and destruction, while merely paying lip service to peace, security and humanity for both people,” he said.

“Words without action will not end the unbearable suffering of Palestinian and Israeli mothers, fathers and children,” said Nixon. “Enough is enough. The global call for a permanent ceasefire — supported domestically by an overwhelming majority of Americans — must be answered.”

Glazer said that the way in which the U.S. is “breaking international law” with regard to arms sales to Israel was “making Jewish people less safe and contributing to the global rise of antisemitism.” She added: “The safety and security of Jews and Muslims, of Israelis and Palestinians, is inextricably intertwined. We have a moral and legal obligation to stop the flow of weapons.”

The new call to action lands amid ongoing destruction in Gaza as Israel continues its current assault on the territory, sparked in retaliation for the Oct. 7 2023 attack by Hamas in which approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 taken hostage. Over the weekend, Israeli forces recovered the bodies of six of the remaining hostages. 11 months on from Oct. 7, Israeli’s military operations in Gaza have killed at least 40,000 Palestinians, 16,500 of them children, according to the local ministry for health. The devastation has also led to a major humanitarian crisis, with nearly all of Gaza’s 2.2 million people having been displaced from their homes. 96% of Gaza’s population is reportedly facing acute food insecurity.

“The direct targeting of hospitals and obstruction to healthcare facilities by Israeli forces, alongside the limited access to medical supplies, has endangered around 50,000 pregnant women and 20,000 newborn babies,” said ActionAid USA, as part of the new call to action.

“The humanitarian crisis in Gaza grows more dire each day, fueled by the United States’ seemingly limitless provision of weapons to Israel,” added Oxfam America’s associate director for peace and security, Scott Paul. “The United States must stop the sale of lethal arms to Israel in violation of its own law and policy. It must push for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and secure the return of all hostages and illegally detained prisoners. Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages remain at risk until a ceasefire is secured; it is the only way to ensure peace and security for all Palestinians and Israelis.”

Rob Williams, War Child Alliance CEO, said: “The situation for children in Gaza is the deadliest we at War Child and Children in Conflict have seen in our over 30-year history. But for every minute this war continues, children’s lives are in danger. We can’t say it enough: an immediate and permanent ceasefire is desperately needed to protect children from this worsening catastrophe. Furthermore, all hostages and Palestinian civilians detained without due course must be released. Only when this war ends will it be possible to rebuild homes and livelihoods and get children the food, water, and mental and physical health support they desperately need.”