Every year, the U.S. government spends $3.8 billion in federal tax dollars to fund Israel’s violent military operations and ongoing genocide in Gaza. Of these billions, $610 million comes from federal taxes collected from the State of California.
On top of this annual spending, Congress passed a bill in April to send an additional $14.5 billion in supplemental funding to Israel.
While the U.S. spends billions every year to fund Israel’s weapons, our own communities suffer from a lack of resources and funding. Our taxes should be spent on improving the infrastructure and lives of those here at home—not destroying them in Gaza.
Since Oct. 7, Israel Has:
Killed More Than 40,000 Palestinian Civilians
These numbers include at least 16,000 children and approximately 10,300 women. However, the reported death toll does not take into account the thousands of presumed dead buried under the rubble and deaths caused by the decimation of vital infrastructure.
A study published in the international medical journal The Lancet estimates that 186,000 or more deaths could be attributed to Israel’s ongoing violence in Gaza.
Source: Middle East Eye
Caused Over $18.5 Billion in Damages to Critical Infrastructure
The World Bank and the U.N. released a report in April that found that Israel has caused billions of dollars in damage in Gaza, affecting every sector of the economy, including civilian infrastructure, essential public service facilities, houses of worship, water and sanitation plants, road networks, and croplands.
Source: World Bank
Damaged 564 Schools
School buildings have been used as shelters for the nearly two million forcibly displaced people in Gaza. In the last 11 months, Israel has repeatedly targeted schools, including the Al-Tabin School, where more than 100 civilians were killed in a direct attack on Aug. 10.
Source: Al Jazeera
Destroyed 171,500
An additional 345,000 homes have been damaged by Israel’s airstrikes. In May, the U.N. Development Programme released a report estimating that it could take up to 80 years to fully restore all the destroyed housing units in Gaza.
Source: Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor
Damaged 393 Healthcare Facilities
According to the U.N., only 12 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain partially functioning. The damage to hospitals, clinics, ambulances, and other healthcare facilities in Gaza has led to further death and suffering of civilians.
Source: Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor
Destroyed 610 mosques
Israeli airstrikes have targeted houses of worship in Gaza, destroying hundreds of mosques and three churches. The military has also repeatedly targeted worshippers gathering for prayer and desecrated religious items, including destroying copies of the Qur’an.
Source: Al Jazeera
How You Can Help
Contact your elected officials—even if they have already called for a ceasefire. Email, call, or write to urge them to vote against using federal tax dollars to fund Israel’s violence and genocide in Gaza.
Share on social media. By sharing this post, you can help bring awareness and encourage others to speak out against the U.S. arming Israel.
Join CAIR in demanding an immediate suspension of military assistance to Israel. Contact the White House and State Department to demand the enforcement of U.S. laws forbidding arms transfers to nations committing human rights violations. Click here to take action.
