Priests Against Genocide USA responds to Pope Leo's call for peace

Silence in the face of injustice is complicity. Peace demands courage. Faith demands action.

Priests Against Genocide USA (PAGUSA) has welcomed and affirmed the recent moral appeal issued by Pope Leo, who, in remarks to reporters at the Vatican, called on "all people of goodwill to search always for peace and not violence, to reject war," and urged citizens worldwide to contact their political leaders and congressmen and demand an end to escalating and unjust conflict. In direct response to this call, Priests Against Genocide USA is urging immediate public action to prevent further US complicity in violence in the Middle East.

Drawing on background provided by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), we highlight two critical resolutions introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders:

· A resolution to block the $151.8 million sale of 12,000 1,000-pound bombs to Israel

· A resolution to block the $295 million transfer of D9 Caterpillar bulldozers to Israel

These weapons and machines have well-documented impacts on civilian populations. The 1,000-pound bombs are commonly used in airstrikes in densely populated areas, often resulting in devastating civilian casualties. The Caterpillar bulldozers are used in urban warfare and in the demolition of Palestinian and Lebanese homes, displacing thousands of families.

As CMEP has concluded, continued US transfers of such military equipment:

· Cause mass civilian harm

· Undermine US values and legal standards

· Deplete American stockpiles

· Fuel instability and empower extremist actors

Furthermore, these transfers raise serious legal concerns under US law, including violations of the Foreign Military Sales Act and the Foreign Assistance Act, both of which restrict the use of US military aid in cases involving human rights abuses. The increasing use of executive waivers to bypass congressional oversight further erodes democratic accountability.

A Moral and Civic Responsibility

In the spirit of Pope Leo's appeal, PAGUSA calls on all people of conscience to take action now.

. Call or email your Senators this week.
. Demand support for Senator Sanders' resolutions to block these transfers.
. Stand with Pope Leo's call to reject war and work for peace.

LINKS

Action Alert (CMEP): Take Action Here or: www.notmytaxdollars.org/
Priests Against Genocide: https://forms.gle/WH66Tzqa6KgKzyra8 (For Catholic priests who wish to join this network)