Omar Barghouti is to receive the Gandhi Peace Award (presented by Promoting Enduring Peace) on April 23, 2017, in New Haven, CT along with legendary safety activist and Pentagon critic Ralph Nader. Barghouti is being honored for leading the BDS movement. BDS stands for boycotts, divestment and sanctions, peaceful ways to pressure Israel into honoring Palestinian rights. However, the Israeli government wants BDS crushed along with any other form of resistance to Israeli dictates. Israeli President Revlin has called BDS a “strategic threat” implying it’s a grave physical threat to Israelis. Omar Barghouti was arrested on March 19 by Israeli authorities and interrogated for days. Barghouti has been married to an Israeli citizen for decades, but he only has the status of “permanent resident”. Last year his permit to travel was revoked by the Israeli government. That same year the Israeli interior minister threatened to revoke his permission to reside in Israel. Another minister called for the “civil targeted assassination” of BDS leaders. The Israeli government also set up something it called a “Tarnishing Unit” whose purpose was “dirty tricks” against supporters of BDS, In an attempt to attend the Gandhi Peace Award honoring him, Barghouti's attorney went to the Interior Ministry and received a document on March 16 that entitled him to two months of travel. It was seized when he was arrested. That is the background to his arrest for “tax evasion”. We do not know Barghouti’s side of the story about the tax charges because the case is under a “gag order” and he cannot speak about the case. Given the history of threats against BDS and Omar Barghouti personally, the assumption should be that the Israeli government is making good on its threat to eliminate Palestinian BDS activists, starting with Omar Barghouti. This appears to be political persecution.

On Wednesday, March 22, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding a hearing on "The State of Global Humanitarian Affairs." Gregory Gottlieb of USAID will testify, as will Yves Daccord, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross. [1] This is a key opportunity for Senators to press the Administration on what it will do to help avert famine in Yemen - and to press the Administration on why, by giving a green light to the Saudis to blockade and attack the crucial Yemeni port of Hodeida, the Administration is currently helping to cause famine in Yemen. [2] It's also a key opportunity for Senators to help highlight the advocacy of the Red Cross, which has called for access to Hodeida for aid organizations to bring in food and medicine to northern Yemen. [3] 53 Members of the House have called on the State Department to press to open Hodeida to food imports. [4] Senators should take this opportunity to echo this call. Urge SFRC Senators to use the hearing to press for opening Hodeida to avert famine by signing our petition. References: 1. "Flashing Red: The State of Global Humanitarian Affairs," https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/flashing-red-the-state-of-global-humanitarian-affairs-032217 2. "Donald Trump’s Shift On Yemen Risks Plunging The Country Into Famine," http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-hodeidah-yemen-famine_us_58a88970e4b037d17d28610b 3. "Yemen conflict: Red Cross appeals for access to key port," http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39114349 4. https://lieu.house.gov/sites/lieu.house.gov/files/Letter%20to%20Tillerson%20from%20MoCs%20re%20Yemen%20Crisis%20030917.pdf

We wish to apologize for the rude, nasty treatment that Chancellor Merkel suffered at the hands of the present occupier of our White House during her visit last week

Personal embarrassment and shame over Donald Trump's treatment of Chancellor Merkel and other world leaders while visiting our country.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently seemed to suggest that a pre-emptive U.S. bombing of North Korea was an option "on the table." [1] As the Los Angeles Times editorial board stated, such dangerous saber-rattling isn't the answer to our problems with North Korea. Yet while claiming that "all options are on the table," Tillerson seemed to be ruling out the only realistic option: negotiations. [2] As the Christian Science Monitor noted, China has made a plausible proposal to re-start negotiations: North Korea would suspend its nuclear and missile tests in return for the U.S. and South Korea halting their annual joint military exercises. Unfortunately, Washington dismissed the Chinese proposal out of hand. [3] Urge your representatives in Congress to speak up for realistic diplomacy with China and North Korea to de-escalate tensions in Korea by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-fg-tillerson-asia-20170317-story.html 2. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-tillerson-korea-20170317-story.html 3. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2017/0320/North-Korea-s-nuclear-threat-Where-do-the-US-and-China-go-from-here

This petition serves as an apology to Dr. Merkel on behalf of the signatories- the many Americans who were embarassed by Trump's lack of respect when he deliberately refused to shake her hand on camera during her visit. His lack of respect does not represent us. Bitte akzeptieren Sie unsere aufrichtige Entshuldigung... (please accept our sincere apology)

Donald Trump requested $54 billion in additional funds for things like war jets, air craft carriers, and nuclear weapons--even as his budget cut deeply into the U.S. State Department's diplomatic efforts. A day later, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that "all options were on the table" with regard to addressing increased tensions with North Korea--including, as Tillerson noted, a pre-emptive military strike on North Korea. And, to make matters worse, Trump has taken to Twitter, seemingly seeking to goad or shame China, which is a long-time ally of North Korea. Trump's reckless Pentagon spending, coupled with Tillerson's bellicose rhetoric, should prompt all congressional lawmakers to state right now that they will not support a Trump administration's war of choice. MoveOn members championed strategic and lasting diplomacy with Iran and were the backbone of the resistance to the Iraq war. Let's make it clear to Members of Congress that we're prepared to once again flood the streets in cities and towns across the country to stop Trump’s war making.

Severe funding cuts would deeply hinder responses to major humanitarian crises, of political, economic, environmental, or societal nature, and terrorist attacks. To cut funding so dramatically during a period of "unprecedented global hunger" is callous and disgraceful. We cannot allow these proposed budget cuts to materialize.

While President Trump has lunch with Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman, [1] children in Yemen are starving to death. Stephen O'Brien, the United Nations' top aid official, has demanded that Yemen's Hodeida port, currently blockaded and attacked by Saudi Arabia, be opened to food imports to avert famine. [2] 53 Members of the House have urged Secretary of State Tillerson "use all U.S. diplomatic tools to help open the Yemeni port of Hodeida to international aid humanitarian aid organizations to allow them to import food, fuel, and medicine into northern Yemen and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of Yemeni children who face starvation." [3] The Trump Administration wants to sell Saudi Arabia weapons that were put on hold by President Obama. Senator Rand Paul [R-KY] and Senator Chris Murphy [D-CT] oppose the sale. "I don't know why we would give them precision-guided munitions that allow them to target civilians more efficiently,” Senator Murphy said. [4] Urge your Representative and Senators to oppose the Saudi arms deal by signing our petition. References: 1. http://money.cnn.com/2017/03/14/news/economy/trump-saudi-deputy-crown-prince-oil-tech-defense/ 2. http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/usgerc-stephen-o-brien-statement-security-council-missions-yemen-south-sudan-somalia; http://webtv.un.org/search/stephen-obrien-ocha-on-the-humanitarian-situation-in-yemen-somalia-kenya-and-south-sudan-security-council-7897th-meeting/5355321872001 3. http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/join-unreliefchief-bolivia_o?r_by=1135580 4. http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/03/congress-showdown-saudi-arms-sales-bombs-yemen.html

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) has introduced a bipartisan bill to block additional U.S. forces from being sent into Syria. [1] H.R. 1473 prohibits the Department of Defense from funding any attempt by the administration to expand our presence in Syria by putting U.S. combat boots on the ground. Under the bill, the Pentagon would be prohibited from using funds to send troops to Syria for ground combat operations, award a contract to a private security firm for ground activity or otherwise establish or maintain a presence of U.S. troops or a private security contractor in Syria. The bill would allow for exceptions to “protect, rescue or remove” U.S. personnel. “I strongly object to the White House’s decision to unilaterally place U.S. boots on the ground in Syria," Rep. Lee said. "The Constitution is clear: Congress must debate, vote and authorize the use of military force in matters of war and peace." [2] Twenty Members of the House have co-sponsored the bill. [3] Urge your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 1473 by signing our petition. References: 1. http://thehill.com/policy/defense/323319-dem-seeks-to-block-us-troops-going-to-syria-after-marines-deployment 2. http://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-introduces-bipartisan-bill-to-block-the-deployment-of-ground-troops-in-syria 3. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1473/cosponsors

On Friday, March 10, Stephen O’Brien, the United Nations’ under secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, addressed the United Nations Security Council about what must happen to avert the threat of famine in Yemen. [1] He said: "only a combined response with the private sector can stem a famine: commercial imports must be allowed to resume through all entry points in Yemen, including and especially Hudaydah port, which must be kept open and expanded." [2] Sacha Llorenti, Bolivia's Ambassador to the UN said: "Restrictions have to be lifted at the port of Hodeidah to allow access to humanitarian aid." [3] On Thursday, March 9, 53 House Democrats wrote to Secretary of State Tillerson, urging him to "use all U.S. diplomatic tools to help open the Yemeni port of Hodeida to international aid humanitarian aid organizations to allow them to import food, fuel, and medicine into northern Yemen and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of Yemeni children who face starvation." [4] The signers were: Ted Lieu (CA-33); John Conyers (MI-13); Gwen Moore (WI-4); Debbie Dingell (MI-12); Bobby Rush (IL-1); Barbara Lee (CA-13); Mark Pocan (WI-2); David Cicilline (RI-1); James McGovern (MA-2); Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5); Ruben Gallego (AZ-7); Keith Ellison (MN-5); Jamie Raskin (MD-8); Raúl Grijalva (AZ-3); Jan Schakowsky (IL-9); Steve Cohen (TN-9); Adam Smith (WA-9); Anthony Brown (MD-4); Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1); Peter DeFazio (OR-4); Donald Beyer (VA-8); Alcee Hastings (FL-20); Darren Soto (FL-9); William Keating (MA-9); Hank Johnson (GA-4); Alan Lowenthal (CA-47); Chellie Pingree (ME-1); Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11); Frank Pallone (NJ-6); Betty McCollum (MN-4); Nydia Velázquez (NY-7); Adam Schiff (CA-28); Jared Polis (CO-2); Joseph Crowley (NY-14); Dwight Evans (PA-2); Pramila Jayapal (WA-7); Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12); Frederica Wilson (FL-24); Adriano Espaillat (NY-13); Anna Eshoo (CA-18); Stephen Lynch (MA-8); Judy Chu (CA-27); Zoe Lofgren (CA-19); Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23); Bill Foster (IL-11); Jackie Speier (CA-14); Karen Bass (CA-37); Earl Blumenauer (OR-3); Tulsi Gabbard (HI-2); Mark Takano (CA-41); Salud Carbajal (CA-24); Louise Slaughter (NY-25); and Peter Welch (VT). [5] Urge President Trump and all Members of Congress to join the call to open the port of Hodeida and avert famine in Yemen by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/11/world/middleeast/yemen-market-airstrike.html 2. http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/usgerc-stephen-o-brien-statement-security-council-missions-yemen-south-sudan-somalia 3. https://twitter.com/Bolivia_ONU/status/840320709855477762 4. https://lieu.house.gov/sites/lieu.house.gov/files/Letter%20to%20Tillerson%20from%20MoCs%20re%20Yemen%20Crisis%20030917.pdf 5. https://lieu.house.gov/sites/lieu.house.gov/files/Letter%20to%20Tillerson%20from%20MoCs%20re%20Yemen%20Crisis%20030917.pdf

The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross have warned that Yemen is on the brink of famine, with hundreds of thousands of children in danger of starvation if the Yemeni port of Hodeida is not quickly opened to international humanitarian aid. Rep. Ted Lieu [D-CA] and Rep. John Conyers [D-MI] are circulating a letter to Secretary of State Tillerson, "urging him to use all U.S. diplomatic tools to help open the Yemeni port of Hodeida to international humanitarian aid organizations to allow them to import food, fuel and medicine into northern Yemen and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of Yemeni children who face starvation." Urge House members to sign the Lieu-Conyers letter by signing and sharing our petition. References: "Hundreds of thousands of Yemeni children are nearing starvation," https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/hundreds-of-thousands-of-yemeni-children-are-nearing-starvation/2017/02/23/f01ead8a-f850-11e6-aa1e-5f735ee31334_story.html "Red Cross: Yemen Food Reserves Dwindling as War Escalates," http://www.voanews.com/a/yemen-food-reserve-dwindling/3743457.html "Yemen conflict: Red Cross appeals for access to key port," http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39114349