US Congress 'Deeply Concerned' About Child Labor, Approves Billions More in Bombs
Al Jazeera reports that Israeli aggression is forcing Gaza's children, some as young as eight, into labor. A heartbreaking tale, certainly, but one that skirts the inconvenient truth of who funds such 'necessity'. These aren't just the natural consequences of 'conflict'; they are the direct outcome of a US-backed siege and military campaign. Take Rep. Joe Wilson, for instance, who received $10,000
from AIPAC in 2022 to add to his career total of over $165,000, and consistently votes to funnel billions in unconditional military aid to Israel, despite repeated warnings about humanitarian crises (OpenSecrets.org). These votes—like HR 815, passed in February 2024 to provide another $14 billion to the Netanyahu government (Congress.gov)—don't just arm; they enable the very conditions that strip
children of their education and futures. How many bipartisan 'statements of concern' about child labor do we need before acknowledging the direct link between weaponized aid and weaponized poverty? It seems American lawmakers are perfectly content allowing children in Gaza to work for pennies, as long as the defense contractors funding their campaigns get paid in billions.