On Tuesday, a Chicago-based Black Lives Matter (BLM) group requested a return of tax dollars after weaponry was sent to Israel amid the conflict with Hamas.
Israel unleashed its most extensive airstrikes on Gaza ever after the terrorist organization led the bloodiest Palestinian assault on the country in its history on October 7. According to the Israeli authorities, at least 1,200 have been murdered in Israel as of Tuesday. The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of around 13,300 Palestinians in Gaza.
Following the attack, President Joe Biden emphasized the importance of humanitarian aid for Gaza, declared U.S. support for Israel in the conflict, and promised to provide the Jewish state with a cache of weapons and military hardware, including Tamir interceptor missiles manufactured in the United States, which are an integral part of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.
The Pentagon has increased military aid to Israel since November. The weapons delivered include bunker-buster munitions, 155mm shells, night-vision devices, new army vehicles, and more laser-guided missiles.
Black Lives Matter Chicago posted on X on Tuesday to express its dissatisfaction with the U.S. armaments supplied to Israel. The group quoted Refaat in Gaza, which included images of American-made shells in Gaza, and added the caption, “We want our money back!!!”
After the first strike, Israel was one of the first countries to receive supplies, including Tamir missiles. These missiles are part of the transportable Iron Dome system, which employs radar to detect and neutralize approaching air strikes. Foreign Policy reports that the price tag for a single Tamir interceptor is about $40,000. The success rate of Iron Dome is around 90%.
The Black Lives Matter movement has been criticized for its initial lack of response to the incident and its later statement supporting Palestinians. BLM spokespeople have expressed that they see striking similarities between the Black and Palestinian people, and this is important to their radical Black movement, which is based on abolitionist principles.
