by Grace Cowell
March 18, 2025 resulted in one of the largest single-day death tolls of Israel’s vengeful quest against Palestinians over the past 17 months. Since then, Israel has resumed its ground invasion, killing over a thousand Palestinians, including hundreds of women, children, and aid workers: a continuation of the genocide fueled by U.S. weapons.
On April 2nd, activists gathered outside of Boston’s JFK Federal Building to deliver two letters, one signed by 50 organizations and the other signed by hundreds of individuals, demanding Senators Warren and Markey vote in favor of Senator Bernie Sanders’ Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) to block the transfer of billions of dollars of U.S. weapons to Israel.
The rally also stood as a call upon the Senators to demand the release of Tufts University PhD student, Rumeysa Ozturk, and protect free speech, especially amongst international student activists.
In attendance was Janice Rottenberg, Sen. Warren’s state director, as well as Sen. Markey’s state director and senior staffer, Jim Cantwell, who was joined by fellow Markey staffers Innocent Wozufia and Faarooq Sahabdeen. Prior to the reading and delivery of the letters to these representatives, speakers from signing organizations presented on the need to stop this weapons transfer in order to put an end to genocide, protect civilian lives, and redirect U.S. taxpayer dollars toward beneficial initiatives.
The delivery of additional weapons by the Trump administration is contrary to U.S. laws, which include restrictions on arms transfers to any country based on human rights, international humanitarian law, and humanitarian assistance criteria. Every day that these unnecessary massacres and destruction continue not only brings lasting shame on the U.S., as Israel’s main weapons supplier, but also debases the legal safeguards to protect civilian lives. In this time of renewed violence and disregard for human life, it is vital for our members of Congress to block the transfer of more arms to Israel.
Sen. Sanders is set to force a Senate vote on two resolutions (S.J.Res. 26 and 33) this week, which would block $8.8 billion in weapons and specifically include 35,000 2,000-pound bombs. Sanders’ other JRDs (S.J.Res. 20, 21, 22, 23; S.J. Res. 25, 27; S.J. Res. 32, 34, 35) cover a variety of bombs, direct-attack munitions, missiles, warheads, bulldozers, as well as fusers, primers, charges, and any spare or repair parts for such weapons. They would also prohibit training equipment and U.S. software, engineering, technology, and logistics support.
The list of organizations who signed the letter are:
Massachusetts Peace Action
Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine
CD8 for Palestine
Jewish Voice for Peace Boston
Amherst Books
Arlington for Palestine
Berkshires Democratic Socialists of America
Boston Democratic Socialists of America
Boston University Palestinian Liberation Coalition
Boston Workers Circle
Center for Nonviolent Solutions
Committee for Peace and Human Rights
Congolese American Women Empowerment and Leadership, Inc.
Council on American Islamic Relations, Massachusetts (CAIR-MA)
Demilitarize Western Massachusetts
Doctors Against Genocide
Dorchester People for Peace
Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution
Hampshire College Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine
Hampshire College Students for Justice in Palestine
House of Peace, Inc
Jamaica Plain for Palestine
Jamaica Plain Progressives
Leahy Fast for Palestine
MA Green-Rainbow Party
Maynard for Palestine
MTA Rank and File for Palestine
National Iranian American Council Massachusetts Chapter
Needham for Palestine
New England Peace Pagoda – Nipponzan Myohoji
Newton Dialogues on Peace and War
North Shore Friends (Quakers)
Olive Branch Fair Trade Inc.
Our Revolution Cambridge
Our Revolution Massachusetts
Palestine Advocacy Project
Pax Christi Massachusetts
Progressive Democrats of America
Quincy for Palestine
Raising Luminaries
River Valley for Gaza Healthcare
Sawa: Newton-Area Alliance for Peace and Justice
SE MA Coalition for a Free Palestine
Smedley D. Butler Brigade, Veterans for Peace Chapter 9, Boston
Somerville for Palestine
The Peacemakers Network
Traprock Center for Peace and Justice
United American Indians of New England
Watertown Citizens for Peace and Common Security
Wellfleet for Palestine
Send a message to your Senators and Representatives and urge them to support Joint Resolutions of Disapproval!