FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 2024
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
Peace Activists Disrupt Senate Hearing, Highlighting Israel's Threat to Global Security
"This meeting omitted any discussion of Israel's conduct and its blatant disregard for any international law!"
WASHINGTON - Three activists with CODEPINK disrupted today's Senate Hearing on "Global Threats," drawing attention to Israel's genocide in Gaza as the most significant risk to global security.
During the hearing, which featured testimonies from heads of National Security, the CIA, and the FBI, the activists vocally condemned the ongoing violence perpetrated by Israel in Palestine, emphasizing the urgent need for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid distribution.
Moataz Salim, Julia Norman, and student activists with CODEPINK, disrupted the hearing shouting: “Stop arming Israel“ “Stop killing my people in Gaza!” and “Stop supporting the starvation of children!”
Moataz, a Palestinian-American with family in Gaza, has had to endure the tragic killing of many within his family at the hands of Israel but funded and supported by the United States. When asked afterwards why he disrupted, he explained it was because he was compelled to interrupt the false focus on the "global threat to security."
“This meeting omitted any discussion of Israel's conduct and its blatant disregard for any international law, such as not only going forward with the Rafah offensive but also continuing to bomb deeper into Lebanon to try and ignite a widespread conflict in the Middle East. Israel’s actions do more to destabilize the Middle East than any other actor in the region.”
Julie Norman, a 24 year old grad student, pointed out how Israel has consistently broken international humanitarian law by targeting journalists, aid workers, schools, hospitals, mosques, refugee camps, and aid trucks.
“There is no security in continuing to steal us taxpayer dollars to destroy an entire region and wipe out an entire ethnic group. Israel has crossed all red lines and is trying to destroy the past, present and future of Palestine in Gaza,” she explained.
Another student and environmental advocate, directed their comments directly at CIA Director Bill Burns: “You can’t pause a genocide. Six weeks won’t work. Only a permanent ceasefire will save the hostages. Israel is a terrorist state that is exterminating people.”
All three peace activists were arrested and detained.
“The public sees their atrocities and they are making the world a much more unsafe place. We need a permanent ceasefire now,” said Julie.
Videos and interviews are available upon request. For more information about the disruption, please contact Melissa at [email protected].
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CODEPINK is a grassroots peace and social justice movement that emerged in 2002 in response to the Iraq War. Committed to promoting diplomacy and disarmament, CODEPINK engages in creative, nonviolent actions to address issues of militarism, injustice, and inequality. With a focus on women-led initiatives, the organization strives to build a world free from violence and oppression, advocating for a just and sustainable peace. CODEPINK's vibrant activism spans a range of global and local campaigns, amplifying voices for positive change and challenging policies that perpetuate conflict.
