Reuters reports that the NAACP is urging President Joe Biden to "indefinitely" stop all arms shipments to Israel and push Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to end its fighting in Gaza, which has been all but destroyed by Israeli forces using American-made weapons. This marks a rare foray by the Black-led civil rights organization into U.S. foreign policy, underscoring the dire suffering of Palestinians and the fallout surrounding a president who has, despite sometimes being critical of its conduct, remained a staunch ally of Israel.
Though the NAACP said that Israel had a right to defend itself after the October 7 Hamas attacks, its leaders criticize an Israeli campaign that has killed thousands of civilians, including those sheltering in schools and refugee camps, and cut off food and medical aid to millions more. They are also calling on Hamas to return the hostages the group took from Israel and "stop all terrorist activity."
