r/PoliticalActivism

*URGENT ACTION: Opponent testimony scheduled Tuesday MAY 12th at 3pm*

*Script & state rep info in link*

HB 188 the Ohio‑Israel Trade and Innovation Partnership would create a broad, undefined framework for “bilateral trade and investment,” “policy issues of mutual interest,” “business and academic exchanges,” and “mutual economic support.” The bill also authorizes “mutual investment in the infrastructure of Ohio and Israel” and leaves open “other issues as determined by the partnership,” without specifying limits, oversight, or measurable benefits to Ohio.

The bill references “specific industries, emerging technology opportunities, and innovation clusters,” yet provides no clarity on which sectors would be prioritized or why. It also expands beyond bilateral cooperation by encouraging multilateral partnerships involving Israel and nations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Oceania, again without explaining how these arrangements would benefit Ohio taxpayers.

At no point have the sponsors provided projections, data, or concrete examples demonstrating what this partnership would deliver for Ohio or how outcomes would be measured.

Earlier versions of HB 188 included $10 million in appropriations, paid trips for representatives to Israel, and agriculture‑related language. These provisions were removed but could be reinstated at any time. Sponsor testimony continues to reference agriculture despite its removal from the bill text.

Source: OHIO DIVEST COALITION

Here is my letter I e-mailed to my U.S. congressional reps for my state, the Chairmans of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Senator James Risch) and House Committee on Foreign Affairs (Rep Brian Mast), & the Chair of the Senate State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (Senator Lindsey Graham). Please take as is or make adjustments as you see fit to send to members of Congress.

Contact Us | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

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The current situation in Gaza is defined by a deepening humanitarian catastrophe—characterized by some officials as a “biological apocalypse”—and a fragile, frequently violated ceasefire that has seen continued territorial expansion by the Israeli military. As of May 2026, Israel has expanded its control to nearly 60% of the Gaza Strip, forcing the displaced population into approximately 40% of the enclave.

Updated Death Tolls

The human cost of the conflict continues to rise despite the cessation of full-scale "scorched earth" bombing campaigns:

• Total Fatalities: Since the start of the conflict on October 7, 2023, the recorded death toll has reached 72,615 Palestinians killed and 172,468 injured. Thousands more remain missing under the rubble.
• Post-Ceasefire Fatalities: Since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire began in October 2025, Israeli military actions have killed at least 834 Palestinians. Additionally, 768 bodies have been recovered from beneath the rubble during this same period.

The Humanitarian Crisis: "A Biological Apocalypse"

Humanitarian coordinators warn that Gaza is facing a "calculated ecological disaster" due to the total collapse of essential infrastructure.

• Water and Sanitation: Approximately 97% of groundwater is undrinkable, and daily water access has plummeted to between three and five liters per person—dropping as low as one liter in northern Gaza. All sewage systems are currently offline, resulting in 130,000 cubic meters of untreated waste being discharged into the sea daily.
• Rodent Infestations: Over 80% of displacement sites are infested with large, aggressive rodents—including the Norway rat—which bite children and the elderly while they sleep, spreading diseases like hantavirus and Leptospirosis.
• Disease Outbreaks: The unsanitary conditions have fueled nearly half a million cases of acute diarrhea and over 70,000 cases of ectoparasitic infestations (such as scabies and lice) in 2026 alone.

Infrastructure and Aid Restrictions

The crisis is exacerbated by ongoing Israeli restrictions on the entry of critical supplies.

• Blocked Supplies: Israel has reportedly denied the entry of rodenticides, insecticides, and waste removal equipment, citing security concerns. While Israeli agencies claim to have allowed some pest control materials, local officials state that traps and current poisons are unworkable in the "topography of rubble".
• Aid Trucks: Although the ceasefire agreement envisaged up to 600 aid trucks per day, the actual average remains just over 200 trucks daily.
• Widespread Destruction: Approximately 80% of water infrastructure and 71% of desalination plants have been destroyed, leaving families to cook and wash in refuse-contaminated areas.

Military officials have recently indicated that operational plans to resume full-scale war are complete and pending final political approval, further heightening fears for the two million Palestinians who remain displaced within the enclave.

In response to the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, I urge you to:

·         Support H.R.3565 To provide for a limitation on the transfer of defense articles and defense services to Israel.

·         Support S.3634 AWARE Act to impose sanctions on Israeli officials to discourage the government from obstructing humanitarian assistance

 

(Sources: Drop Site News, Chatham House, Middle East Eye, CBC)

 

I’m searching for physical/online Denver, or surrounding area, activism groups to get involved with. I’m tired of watching all this shit go down, i want to do more. Please let me know what you’re participating in or have heard about. thanks guys xx

Are there any leftist clubs, groups, or organizations I can join at UMD other than YDSA for political activism and community organizing? (By leftist, i mean socialist/communist, not Democrats)

Here is my letter I e-mailed to my U.S. congressional reps for my state and the Chairmans of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Senator James Risch) and House Committee on Foreign Affairs (Rep Brian Mast), and the Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary (Rep Jim Jordan). Please take as is or make adjustments as you see fit to send to your members of Congress.

Hind Rajab Act bill update: House - 03/12/2026 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. 

Contact Us | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

Letter:

Today, May 3, 2026, marks what should have been Hind Rajab’s 8^(th) birthday. On January 29, 2024, Hind was attempting to evacuate the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza City with six family members when an IDF tank unit, positioned just 13 to 23 meters away, fired 335 bullets into their civilian vehicle. Hind was the only survivor of the initial attack and remained trapped for hours in the wreckage surrounded by the bodies of her deceased relatives; her terrified pleas for help were recorded by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) during a series of desperate phone calls. Although a rescue was attempted, the ambulance dispatched to save her was shelled and burned, killing paramedics Yusuf al-Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun instantly. Hind’s decomposing body was eventually discovered 12 days later alongside her family once the IDF evacuated the area.

·         In light of this injustice, I urge you to support H.R.7903 Justice for Hind Rajab Act to call for accountability for the killing of innocent civilians, including Hind Rajab and the two paramedics.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Here is my letter I e-mailed to my U.S. congressional reps for my state and the Chairmans of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Senator James Risch) and House Committee on Foreign Affairs (Rep Brian Mast). Please take as is or make adjustments as you see fit to send to your members of Congress.

Contact Us | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

Letter:

I am writing to urge you to support all legislation to cease our financial and material support to Israel.

Since 1946, Israel has received more cumulative U.S. foreign aid than any other nation. The vast majority of this assistance is directed toward bolstering Israel’s armed forces, which already stand as the most technologically advanced military in the Middle East. On an annual basis, the United States allocates $3.8 billion to Israel. In the wake of the October 7, 2023 attacks, the U.S. has channeled a minimum of $16.3 billion in direct military assistance to Israel, alongside the delivery of an estimated 90,000 tons of weapons and military equipment. (Source: Council on Foreign Relations)

Consequences

Genocide: The Israeli government has committed genocide of more than 72,000 Palestinians. And since the ceasefire, Israel has murdered at least 700 more Palestinians. (Source: Al Jazeera)

Targeting of Journalists: The Israeli military is responsible for an unprecedented surge in journalist fatalities, accounting for two-thirds of the record 129 press members killed worldwide in 2025. The assassination of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil on April 22, 2026 is another entry in this record of targeted violence. (Sources: Committee to Protect Journalists / Al Jazeera)

Destruction of southern Lebanon:  The Israeli military is currently carrying out a campaign of systematic destruction across 55 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, a strategy that researchers and human rights experts note closely mirror the tactics used in Gaza. The process typically involves initial airstrikes followed by a ground invasion and the use of controlled demolitions to eviscerate entire neighborhoods, including homes, shops, and religious sites. (Source: WGCU News)

·         In response to the continuing Israeli genocide against the Palestinians and Lebanese, I urge you to support H.R.2565 To provide for a limitation on the transfer of defense articles and defense services to Israel.

Settler Violence: Israeli settler violence has intensified significantly since October 2023, with documented incidents rising by 25% to over 1,700 cases within a single year. This surge includes at least 16 Palestinians killed by settlers so far in 2026, contributing to a total of over 1,000 Palestinians killed by the combined actions of settlers and soldiers in the West Bank since late 2023. Former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo has described these actions as reminiscent of the Holocaust and an “existential threat” to Israel, warning that the state’s failure to curb such assaults – which now average six per day – could lead to a future conflict as devastating as the October 7 attacks.

On April 27^(th), an Israeli settler violently assaulted a French nun in East Jerusalem, kicking her repeatedly while she was on the ground in an attack currently being investigated as a racist assault. In the West Bank, families report brutal tactics intended to force them off their land, including the theft of livestock and physical torture; for instance, one Palestinian man, Suhaib Abualkebash, reported being bound and zip-tied by 20 settlers while his family was forced to watch. Other incidents have proved fatal, such as the shooting of 19-year-old American-Palestinian Nasrallah Abu Siyam. (Sources: The Catholic Herald / PBS / Middle East Eye)

·         In response to the Israeli settlement violence, I urge you to support H.R. 3045 West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025.

American support for Israel is plummeting. Our continued aid and support to Israel is no longer in line with the wishes of the American people. End our aid and support of Israel! America First!