{"id":265766,"date":"2024-07-01T12:00:29","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T11:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=265766"},"modified":"2024-06-30T05:59:08","modified_gmt":"2024-06-30T04:59:08","slug":"us-house-votes-to-bar-state-department-from-citing-gazan-casualties-from-health-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2024\/07\/us-house-votes-to-bar-state-department-from-citing-gazan-casualties-from-health-ministry\/","title":{"rendered":"US House Votes to Bar State Department from Citing Gazan Casualties from Health Ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"

If passed into law, US diplomats would be unable to discuss casualty figures from Palestinian sources that are generally considered credible.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

27 Jun 2024 <\/em>– During the debate of the State Department funding bill, the House added a provision that would bar American diplomats from citing statistics from the Gaza Health Ministry. The amendment would prevent American diplomats from discussing the casualty figures produced by the Palestinian agency.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, the House voted 269-144<\/a> for an amendment to the Department of State appropriations bill<\/a> proposed by a bipartisan group led by Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL). The provision<\/a> \u201cprohibits funds appropriated by this act to be made available for the State Department to cite statistics obtained from the Gaza Health Ministry.\u201d<\/p>\n

The amendment received bipartisan support. All but 14 Republicans voted yes<\/a>, with Reps. Paul Gosar (AZ) and Matt Rosendale (MT) are the only no votes. The Democrats split support 69-114. The Democratic leadership in the House elected<\/a> not to endorse or oppose the amendment.<\/p>\n

During Israel\u2019s nearly nine-month-long onslaught in Gaza, the Health Ministry has recorded nearly 38,000 deaths and 85,000 injuries. Many of those injured have life-altering wounds. The head of the UN Palestinian Aid Agency (UNRWA) estimates<\/a> that over 2,000 children, or nearly ten per day, have lost legs since October 7.<\/p>\n

Prior to Israel\u2019s most recent military campaign in Gaza, the casualty figures were generally considered accurate and regularly cited by Western media. During Israel\u2019s \u201cSwords of Iron\u201d operations, the corporate press has started to slant cover of those numbers by asserting Hamas runs the health ministry whenever the numbers are reported.<\/p>\n

However, many human rights groups and officials<\/a> believe the official figures are an undercount. Save the Children estimates that in addition to the 15,000 dead Palestinian children counted by the health ministry, an additional 4,000 are uncounted because their bodies have not been recovered.<\/p>\n

During the debate over Moskowitz\u2019s amendment, Rep Rashida Tlaib blasted the provisions as being a part of the decades-long coordinated effort by the House to \u201cerase Palestinians from existence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we are witnessing the apartheid Israeli government carry out a genocide in real-time. This amendment is an attempt to hide it.\u201d She added, \u201cMy colleagues don\u2019t even want to acknowledge that Palestinians exist at all<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

\n

It\u2019s disgusting that my colleagues would support legislation to prohibit U.S. officials from even citing the Palestinian death toll.<\/p>\n

They want to erase the Palestinians who are living, and now they are trying to erase the Palestinians who are dead. This is genocide denial. pic.twitter.com\/ZY3x0BIlQ0<\/a><\/p>\n

— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) June 27, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n