What follows is an email that Lynn Pollack sent to 500 constituents of Representative Jan Schakowsky in the Illinois 9th Congressional District. The Steering Committee of the Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy is making this citizens' initiative available for use with our Senators as well as Representatives outside the 9th Congressional District. We are sending it to the our Constant Contact mailing lists to encourage your support as well.

Dear Friend in the Illinois 9th Congressional District,

It's humiliating. And to me it just feels wrong.

Every time the U.S. reaches out to Israel to restart negotiations with the Palestinians, we're greeted with the same response.

Time to expand the settlements.

Joe Biden visits Israel and on the same day, here's what Netanyahu announces:

Time to expand the settlements.

Most recently, in response to the Palestinian President's bid for statehood at the UN, Israel said:

Time to expand the settlements.

U.S. official policy supports two states and does not support creating settlements in the West Bank, the very place a Palestinian state would be established.

Yet, Israel pointedly ignores U.S. policy. Screw the U.S., they say. We'll do what we want.

Time to expand the settlements.

We provide Israel with over 3 billion dollars of aid every year. We provide unconditional diplomatic support for Israel. Doesn't this give us some right to be dealt with respectfully?

How long can we take this humiliation?

I'm writing our Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky today with the following message:

Stand up for the U.S. Insist that Israel stop expanding the settlements. Our words may not mean anything, but we do have the leverage of our aid. Humiliate us again, and we'll put a hold on that military aid.

Let's use our power of the purse to regain our dignity.

Will you join me in calling or writing Jan now? We don't need to be humiliated any more.

Your fellow constituent in the 9th Congressional District,

Lynn Pollack, Co-convenor
Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy

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