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WASHINGTON, D.C. - A congressman from suburban Chicago proposed a bill that would condition U.S. weapons being sent to Israel for military purposes.
U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, a Democrat, introduced the Ceasefire Compliance Act that he argued would "bolster accountability and oversight" of American weapons sent to Israel, according to his office.
What we know:
The proposal calls for a ban on the use of U.S. weapons in Gaza and the West Bank if Israel violates the ceasefire agreement, annexes the West Bank, or fails to stop settler violence against Palestinians.
"As one of the United States’ most important allies, Israel must ensure that its policies and the use of U.S. military assistance align with American values, interests, and the law," Casten said in a statement.
He added, "To be clear, it does not deny Israel the right to defend itself, and it preserves support for missile defense. It does, however, set guardrails to help sustain the ceasefire and keep a credible path toward long-term peace, with security for Israelis and freedom and self-determination for the Palestinian people."
The conditions are crucial to ensuring the successful implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire, which Israel and Hamas agreed to last October after two years of war, according to a summary of the bill. The conflict was sparked by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in Israel that killed nearly 1,200 Israelis. More than 67,000 Palestinians were killed in the subsequent two years of war, which a United Nations commission said amounted to genocide.
The congressman’s office also argued that the U.S. was the only nation that "can ensure Israel adheres to its obligations under the ceasefire agreement and moves forward with the 20-point plan." His office also pointed out that Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire in Gaza have killed more than 600 Palestinians since the ceasefire began.
The bill would not limit funds for defensive equipment for Israel, including for its Iron Dome missile defense system. It would also not prevent the U.S. from sharing intelligence or helping Israel in "defensive measures" or combating threats from terrorists or "other external threats."
It's unclear if the bill would even be considered in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
Casten’s proposal comes as he faces criticism from his Democratic primary opponent, Joey Ruzevich, who has argued the congressman hasn’t done enough to stop the suffering in Gaza. Ruzevich called the war and devastation in Gaza "the moral issue of our time."