The following is the text of a letter I am going to send to my congressman concerning the most recent attempt to punish the Palestinian people for resisting colonization. You can learn more about the pending anti-Palestinian legislation here.

Honorable Congressman,

I strongly urge you to oppose HR4681 and vote against it when occasion arises. This bill would, if it becomes law, greatly restrict the humanitarian aid available to the Palestinian people from both the US (Section 620K) and international aid organizations (Section 3). It would also restrict the ability of the Palestinian Authority to represent itself effectively by denying PA representatives Visas (Section 5), by restricting their travel (Section 6), and by shutting down their offices in the United States (Section 7). The former is unjust because it punishes a sovereign people for exercising a fundamental right in a manner of which the US Government disapproves. The latter is ill-advised because restricting diplomatic activity only makes a peaceful negotiated settlement harder to obtain. The bill demands that the Palestinian Authority dismantle "the terrorist infrastructure" (Section 620K). I respectfully submit that terrorists have no infrastructure. It takes none to manufacture a home-made bomb. Infrastructure development is, however, the solution to terrorism; it creates opportunity in place of helplessness, gives hope and defeats despair. Once Palestinians have the opportunity to rebuild their lives, their families, their homes they will find that the best outcome to the conflict with Israel will only be had via dialogue, mutual trade, and negotiation. The violent groups will find their number of supporters dwindling and will be forced to come on board to any comprehensive peace agreement. This can only happen if the Palestinians are given the aid they need to rebuild what they've lost over the past five years. That aid will only come if HR4681 is defeated.

Thank You.