Church and Society supports the Block the Bombs Act (H.R. 3565) led by Representative Delia Ramirez (D-IL-3). This bill is the first legislative vehicle in Congressional history to aim to ban the U.S. from sending some of the worst-offending offensive weapons arms to Israel.
The bill focuses on artillery ammunition and high-impact bomb variants that have been involved in the grossest civilian casualties. In addition, the bill demands Israel comply with U.S. and international law. As Israel continues to commit unspeakable atrocities against civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Lebanon, it is imperative that our Representatives take action to block these weapons and hold Israel accountable.
The United Methodist Church continues to strongly condemn U.S. military aid and sales of weapons that enable Israel to continue their deadly campaign in Gaza and throughout the Middle East. Terminating military aid would be a major step toward ending the conflict peacefully. The United Methodist Church has long advocated for “a just and lasting peace and human rights for all in the region” (The United Methodist Church 2020/2024 Book of Resolutions #4108: Opposition to Israeli Settlements in Palestinian Land).
Church and Society urges all governments to end all military aid, arm transfers, and arm sales to the region. The goal is to create lasting peace in the Middle East by opposing any means of violence. Instead, we seek to encourage a peaceful resolution, moving away from weaponized solutions that only lead to further violence.
Together, let’s uplift our voices by contacting our federal Representatives to support the Block the Bombs Act that would not only address U.S. involvement in the conflict, but also begin the de-escalation of violence in the Middle East.
This content was originally published by the General Board of Church and Society; republished with permission on ResourceUMC.org on May 27, 2026.