November 17, 2025 – In response to reports that the Israeli Government is requesting that the United States succeed the current 10 year Memorandum of Understanding on US aid to Israel with a new 20 year MOU pledging even higher amounts of military assistance, Center for International Policy Executive Vice President Matt Duss issued the following statement:
“Israel’s reported request that American taxpayers provide it with billions of dollars more in military aid every year for the next two decades should be a total nonstarter for the Trump administration and lawmakers of both parties.
“The United States gave Israel nearly $18 billion in weapons aid over the two years of the Gaza war – and Israel repeatedly used those US-subsidized arms to commit grave atrocities in violation of American and international law. It also continues to use US weapons to openly advance its plans to absorb the West Bank in defiance of President Trump’s policy against annexation. It would be deeply irresponsible and harmful to commit to 20 years of underwriting Israel’s war machine, in light of its record of flagrantly misusing the aid and arms we already provided.
“Israel is now a wealthy country, with a higher per capita GDP than each of Finland, France, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. An entire generation of American taxpayers should not be obligated to subsidize Israel’s military activities amid rising costs and shrinking budgets here in the United States.
“Enough is enough – the American people do not want this and did not vote for it. Most Americans now oppose providing Israel with additional military aid. Literally doubling down on past pledges to send taxpayer dollars to Israel against the views of a majority of U.S. voters would signal an alarming willingness to subordinate Americans’ interests at the request of a foreign government.”
October 29, 2025 – In response to horrific acts of violence taking place following the fall of El Fasher, Sudan to the UAE-supported Rapid Support Forces, Center for International Policy President and CEO Nancy Okail issued the following statement:
“The entire world should be appalled by the acts of genocide and other atrocities taking place at this moment in El Fasher. Having taken the city after a long siege, the Rapid Support Forces are now engaged in a horrific onslaught of mass murder, torture and rape against its civilian population.
“Condemnation of this crime against humanity is not enough. The international community must take decisive action to enforce the United Nations arms embargo on the conflict in Sudan and hold accountable all who have enabled this genocide.
“In particular, the United States and its partners should halt arms transfers to, and impose other sanctions on, the United Arab Emirates, which is supplying the RSF with the weapons and related material used to carry out atrocities in Darfur. Failure to take enforcement action against the UAE could condemn hundreds of thousands more civilians to death at the hands of the genocidal forces the Emirates have armed.
“The international community must also continue to document these crimes so that perpetrators in Sudan can be held accountable. We must not fail yet another test of international norms and laws in the face of genocide and mass atrocities. It is past time to fully enforce the embargo, hold the UAE accountable, and bring the war in Sudan to an end.”
October 16, 2025 – In response to reports that the Trump Administration has authorized covert Central Intelligence Agency action in Venezuela, Center for International Policy Executive Vice President Matt Duss issued the following statement:
“Reports that the Trump Administration has authorized covert efforts seeking to foment regime change in Venezuela are deeply concerning. These reports follow on the administration’s unlawful and unauthorized use of military force against vessels and their crews in the Caribbean – which constitute extrajudicial killings.
“Using covert or military measures to destabilize or overthrow regimes reminds us of some of the most notorious episodes in American foreign policy, which undermined the human rights and sovereignty of countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. We are still dealing with many of the harmful consequences of these disastrous interventions in today’s challenges with migration and the drug trade. Such interventions rarely lead to democratic or peaceful outcomes. Instead, they exacerbate internal divisions, reinforce authoritarianism, and destabilize societies for generations.
“Trump ran as an anti-war candidate and casts himself as a Nobel Prize-worthy peacemaker, yet he is conducting illegal strikes while threatening to start wars of choice across Latin America and the Caribbean. A majority of Americans oppose US military involvement in Venezuela. Lawmakers must make clear that Trump does not have the American people’s support or Congress’ authorization for the use of force against Venezuela or anywhere else in the region.”
In response to the agreement of an initial phase of a Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Center for International Policy President and CEO Nancy Okail issued the following statement:
“The agreement of a long overdue ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas is an immense relief. The parties and all countries must do their utmost to ensure the full and immediate implementation of this first phase of ending the war and genocide in Gaza. Hostages and prisoners must be released, and a massive, unrestricted humanitarian aid effort must be urgently undertaken to counter the crisis of starvation, disease and lack of shelter impacting hundreds of thousands of civilians in the territory. The safety of humanitarian workers, medical facilities and distribution centers must be guaranteed.
“At the same time, the United States and its regional partners must use all available leverage to ensure that this process culminates in an end to the genocide and a final agreement to bring the war to an end. The parties have yet to agree on all the matters raised in the Trump Administration’s 20-point plan, including full details on Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and long-term governance of the territory and its people. It is deeply concerning that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – after his proposed changes to the plan were incorporated by the United States – attempted to cast Hamas’ proposal to negotiate further details as a rejection, and that his coalition partners are already proclaiming their intention to relaunch the war.
“This ceasefire was achieved through the application of pressure on both sides, but particularly on Netanyahu and the Israeli government. That pressure must be sustained in order for this agreement to endure and proceed past its first phase. We must not forget that the last seven months of deliberate starvation, mass bombardment and forced displacement by Israel began as Netanyahu refused to carry out all phases of the previously agreed ceasefire – continuing the war in order to preserve his coalition and rule. His government must not be allowed to break another ceasefire and continue its genocidal plans for the ethnic cleansing and annexation of Gaza.
“As the specific terms for a permanent ceasefire are refined and implemented, the Trump Administration should take concrete steps toward a comprehensive end to the underlying decades-old conflict. Empowering Palestinian leaders who seek a just resolution with Israel, taking meaningful action against deepening Israeli occupation and annexation of Palestinian territory, and focusing diplomacy on universal recognition of Palestinian statehood as an integral part of multilateral normalization efforts will each be essential to achieving the goal of true peace in the Middle East.”
September 29, 2025 — Following President Trump’s meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House, and the Trump administration’s release of a “21-point plan” to end the conflict in Gaza, Matt Duss, Executive Vice-President at the Center for International Policy, released the following statement:
“The world desperately needs an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, whose people have endured unspeakable horror over these past two years. Unfortunately, the 21-point plan released by the Trump administration today, while thankfully walking back from Trump’s previous goal of expelling Gaza’s people, contains numerous opportunities for Netanyahu to renege on his commitments, as he has repeatedly done in the past. It is not clear who has agreed to which terms of Trump’s plan, or whether Trump himself understands what is in it. Trump and Netanyahu’s remarks today were a litany of lies about the last 30 years, not a promising foundation for peace.
“Despite his claim of being close to a deal, Trump’s statement that Israel will have ‘full US backing’ to “‘finish the job’ in Gaza if his plan is not agreed to stood out most clearly. This would be more of what we have seen not only the last nine months, but the last two years, as the United States has unconditionally armed and subsidized a genocide in Gaza.”
“The path to a desperately needed peace remains the same as it has for nearly two years: using leverage and pressure on Israel to achieve a ceasefire that stops its atrocities, frees all hostages, ends the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and supports a real path to Palestinian liberation, without which the region will not know real security.”
September 26, 2025 – Center for International Policy President and CEO Nancy Okail issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s issuance of a Presidential Memorandum targeting U.S. civil society organizations under the guise of countering domestic terrorism and political violence:
“As someone who has experienced political persecution at the hands of an autocratic regime first hand, I recognize this as a moment of dire crisis for the rule of law in the United States.
“The new Presidential Memorandum falsely blames recent outrageous acts of violence on an imaginary ‘anti-fascist’ network and instructs federal anti-terrorism authorities to investigate and disrupt civil society organizations that, in the administration’s opinion, are hostile to ‘traditional American views.’
“Let’s be clear – this is open suppression of free speech and other constitutionally protected political activity. It comes at the same time as President Trump is publicly pressing the Department of Justice to prosecute those he sees as political enemies and attempting to erase evidence of the epidemic of deadly right wing extremism.”
“We stand with the non-violent, law-abiding civil society organizations targeted by this autocratic assault, including those with which we have been privileged to work closely, like the Open Society Foundations. Americans across the political spectrum should mobilize to oppose this blatant attack on our democracy and civil liberties.”
September 22, 2025 – In response to key U.S. allies including the UK, France, Canada, Australia and Portugal recognizing Palestinian statehood on September 21 and 22, Center for International Policy Executive Vice President Matt Duss issued the following statement:
“The recognition of Palestinian Statehood by several United States allies is a necessary and historic affirmation of Palestinians’ national rights. As the United Nations General Assembly begins, this long overdue step should be welcomed by all who want to see a just and peaceful end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Still, we need to see all nations take urgent and concrete action to protect Palestinian human rights by countering the genocide in Gaza, and apartheid and annexation in the West Bank.
“All countries must act to stop Israel’s forced displacement, starvation and slaughter of Palestinian civilians. That begins with cutting off the flow of weapons that Israel is using to perpetrate these crimes, and imposing sanctions on the Israeli officials responsible for them.”
July 25, 2025 – In response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France will recognize Palestinian statehood, Center for International Policy Executive Vice President Matt Duss issued the following statement:
“Recognition of Palestinian statehood by countries that have yet to do so is a step in the right direction, and other governments should join France. This recognition is long overdue but, by itself, sorely insufficient in this moment of urgent crisis.
“France and other countries, including the United States, should immediately take concrete steps to uphold international law and put real pressure on Israel to stop its campaign of forced displacement, starvation and slaughter in Gaza, and illegal annexation in the West Bank.
“To save Palestinian lives and protect Palestinian rights, world leaders must cease arms sales to Israel, suspend other forms of cooperation and enforce international court orders against Israeli officials. Bilateral and multilateral efforts to affirm the Palestinian people’s right to liberation, self-determination, and statehood are important – but they must be accompanied by tangible action.”
