Chicago: Minnesota Representative Betty McCollum introduced legislation on Friday that, if passed, would prohibit Israel's government from using American funds to oppress civilians in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

The legislation comes after five months of violence by Israel's military and Israeli settlers, which has claimed the lives of more than 100 civilians. A dozen Israelis have been killed, including soldiers and settlers.

The legislation, according to McCollum, "prohibits Israel's government from using US taxpayer dollars in the occupied West Bank for military detention, abuse, or ill-treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention; seizure and destruction of Palestinian property and homes in violation of international humanitarian law."

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The legislation would also forbid the use of US funds to "assist or support" the unilateral annexation of Palestinian lands in violation of international humanitarian law.

"No dollar of US aid should be used to commit human rights violations, demolish families' homes, or permanently annexe Palestinian lands," said McCollum in a statement to Arab News.

"Every year, the United States provides billions of dollars in assistance to Israel's government — and those dollars should go towards Israel's security, not actions that violate international law and cause harm." Peace can be achieved only when everyone's human rights are respected, and Congress must not ignore the well-documented mistreatment of Palestinian children and families living under Israeli military occupation."

McCollum cited support from 16 members of Congress as well as 75 Arab, Jewish, and Christian organisations.

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"Support is rapidly growing for the Palestinian people, who deserve justice, equality, human rights, and the right to self-determination," McCollum said.

"Prominent civil society organisations, as well as Christian, Jewish, and Muslim organisations, have signed on to support this bill — because we all agree that no Palestinian or Jewish child should go to bed fearing ongoing violence." There is a path to peace, and it requires us to lead with our American values of democracy and equal justice for all."

Israeli violence against Palestinians began almost immediately after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed a new ruling coalition with some of the most extreme Israeli groups.

During the first four months of 2023, the Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem documented a series of assaults that resulted in an excessive number of Palestinian deaths.

This B'Tselem report explains how Israeli settlers provoke Palestinians and then justify violence that results in the deaths of Palestinian civilians with the help of Israeli soldiers.

"On Saturday, 11 February 2023, at around 4:00 p.m., about 30 settlers arrived on the outskirts of the village of Qarawat Bani Hassan, some armed with handguns and rifles." About ten of them entered a still-under-construction house and proceeded to the second floor, where two brothers were working. One of the brothers was punched by the settlers. The other escaped and alerted nearby residents. "Within a few minutes, his brother also managed to flee the settlers," B'Tselem stated in an April 20 report.

A few minutes later, dozens of young men from the village arrived and began throwing stones at the settlers in an attempt to drive them away. The settlers opened fire in the air as well as on the young men. From about 30 metres away, one of the settlers fired at a group of young men throwing stones. Mithqal Rayan, 27, was killed when a bullet struck him in the face."

The legislation's co-sponsors are significant because they include many mainstream members of Congress, including Reps. Don Beyer (VA-08), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Cori Bush (MO-01), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jesus "Chuy"

The bill is also co-sponsored by the only Palestinian in Congress, Muslim Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), and McCollum's Minnesota colleague, Somali Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05).

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Many mainstream, Christian, and Jewish organisations, including Amnesty International USA, American Friends Service Committee, Human Rights Watch, the pro-peace Jewish American lobby J Street, the Jewish group Americans for Peace Now, the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, the feminist rights movement CODEPINK, the United Methodist (Christian) Church, Churches for Middle East Peace, and Churches for Middle East Peace, are among the 75 organisations that support the legislation.