Vice President for Government Affairs at @CIPolicy.bsky.social. Former US Senate staffer. Lawyer. Cornell alum. Bio: https://internationalpolicy.org/about/#dylan-williams
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NEW: Retiring dean of the House Jewish Caucus Jerry Nadler says that Israel is “committing mass murder and war crimes in Gaza ‘without question.’” He plans to join the growing group of Democratic lawmakers trying to block the transfer of offensive weapons to Israel. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/n...
NEW: The world’s largest professional organization of scholars studying genocide just voted overwhelmingly in support of a resolution declaring that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. apnews.com/article/geno...
What is happening in Gaza is genocide. Those enabling it—lawmakers sending arms to Israel, officials giving it cover at the UN and international courts, the lobby groups demanding such support—aren’t just accomplices, but full participants in a crime against humanity. They must be held to account.
An Israeli plan “envisions at least a temporary relocation of all of Gaza’s more than 2 million population, either through what it calls ‘voluntary’ departures to another country or into restricted, secured zones inside the enclave during reconstruction” So ethnic cleansing and concentration camps.
Watch as this trend becomes the norm among Democratic lawmakers finally aligning with their voters on Israel-Palestine issues.
Fair question
Trump is again undermining a Palestinian government that rejects violence and lawfully seeks recognition of statehood alongside Israel, securing the rights of both peoples. Lawmakers should welcome U.S. allies recognizing Palestine and can join Rep. @rokhanna.bsky.social’s letter in support of it.
NEW: 50% of Americans think Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, including 77% of Democrats and 51% of Independents. 60% of Americans oppose sending Israel more military aid for use in the Gaza war, including 75% of Democrats and 66% of Independents. Quinnipiac poll: poll.qu.edu/poll-release...
From rationalizing the slaughter of children to sabotaging the enforcement of U.S. law prohibiting the supply of arms to countries restricting humanitarian aid, Jacob Lew’s role in enabling Israeli atrocities in Gaza should exclude him from any future position of trust—and, frankly, polite company.
There is no conceivable interpretation of the law of war in which a camera set up nearby legitimizes a mass casualty double tap strike on a protected civilian site like a hospital. The fact that Israel is citing it as if it meets some standard should, by itself, trigger a halt in weapons to Israel.
Trump’s America: Official host of the world’s most wanted war criminals
Biden issued an Executive Order to sanction violent Israeli settlers, but failed to adequately apply it, especially against relevant Israeli officials. Trump quickly rescinded the order upon returning to office, giving settlers and complicit Israeli forces a bright green light for these rampages.
The political dam on Israel-Palestine is breaking among Democratic politicians. Most Democratic Senators voted to halt key arms sales to Israel, and presidential contenders like Pritzker and Buttigieg are saying they would do the same—or maybe even more. www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
Israel has imposed new restrictions on aid groups that will worsen the famine it caused in Gaza. Countries have a responsibility to protect civilians like those Israel is starving. It is past time for mere statements. An arms embargo and sanctions are needed. www.timesofisrael.com/eu-and-24-na...
A sign from a Democratic presidential contender that most of party’s elected officials are finally catching up with its base on Israel-Palestine. Voters see one’s views on the conflict not just as a key test of policy and values alignment, but authenticity and strength. forward.com/fast-forward...
Australia will join Canada, France and the UK in recognizing Palestinian statehood. It’s an overdue step in the right direction, but not a substitute for urgently needed concrete action—like an arms embargo and sanctions—to pressure Israel to stop its atrocities in Gaza. apnews.com/article/aust...
“The Trump administration has gone from removing a targeted group from government service to stealing what they earned,” @dylanwilliams.bsky.social reacted to the denial of earned early retirement benefits for transgender troops. www.alternet.org/trump-troops...
The Trump administration has gone from removing a targeted group from government service to stealing what they’ve earned. It’s textbook fascism and a further step on the path of state repression, dispossession, dehumanization and violence that the world has seen the horrific consequences of before.
This news breaks just as a group of US Democratic lawmakers lands in Israel for an all expenses paid trip by AIPAC’s “education foundation.” No doubt Netanyahu is eager for a photo of them standing with him, as he stands against the survival of Palestinians and Israeli hostages.
NEW Security Assistance Monitor Special Report: Arming Israel’s Atrocities in Gaza @cipolicy.bsky.social’s Ari Tolany and Allie Hansen analyze the exports of US-origin and -subsidized weapons that have enabled Israel’s war crimes and crimes against humanity. internationalpolicy.org/publications...
AIPAC is now promoting and amplifying praise of the Trump Administration’s effort to revoke the @apnews.com’s White House press credentials, because the AP published a story on the hardships faced by civilian victims—including gravely injured children—of Israel’s pager attack in Lebanon.
Link: internationalpolicy.org/publications...
Military Spending Monitor: The Pentagon as an Engine for Privatizing Public Funds A study coauthored by @cipolicy.bsky.social fellow @stephensemler.bsky.social quantifies how the Pentagon’s growing reliance on a small number of corporate contractors redistributes taxpayer dollars to wealthy elites.
“The United States is Israel's largest supplier of arms, providing…billions of dollars in military aid. We have been derelict in not applying our own domestic laws to these military shipments and ignoring international humanitarian laws. This makes us complicit in this genocide.” — Rep. Jayapal
AIPAC helped Netanyahu repeatedly undermine and disrespect Obama. It endorsed and fundraised for insurrectionists. It flooded Democratic primaries with rightwing Republican money. Now it’s accusing lawmakers who refuse to keep arming a genocide of antisemitism. What did it think would happen?
70% of Democrats expressed an unfavorable view of Israel. Across the country, local Democratic officials are pushing for embargoes on military and financial support of Israel. Senate votes set a new high-water mark of lawmakers seeking to restrict arms to Israel. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/u...
“The personal pain of my own family from a crime that I believe has no parallel—and my association of the word genocide exclusively with that event—means I am unlikely to use the term myself. But I cannot & will not argue any more against those using the term.” -J Street’s @jeremybenami.bsky.social
NEW: @fp4america.bsky.social calls for “halting offensive military assistance to the Israeli government and sanctioning Israeli officials who call for the destruction or permanent displacement of the Palestinian people” The dam on Israel-Palestine is cracking. www.fp4america.org/2025/07/30/t...
Recognizing a Palestinian state under a government that has long rejected violence and accepted Israel, and binding it to the obligations of statehood, advances the rights and security of both peoples. Lawmakers should welcome our allies recognizing Palestine and call for the U.S. to do the same.
One government rejects violence and aims to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with two states living in peace. One government is starving and violently displacing civilians of the other, taking their land and categorically rejects a two-state outcome. Guess which one Trump sanctioned today.
As US allies move to recognize Palestinian statehood with a government that has recognized Israel, Trump sanctions the same Palestinian leaders while Israel’s government openly starves and displaces Palestinians to prevent the outcome of two states living in peace. www.politico.com/news/2025/07...
“Today’s vote was a new high water mark...It reflects the rising tide among voters against continuing to subsidize & arm Israel’s actions in Gaza & its other grave violations of Palestinian rights” — @cipolicy.bsky.social Ari Tolany on vote to block arms to Israel: www.huffpost.com/entry/senate...
A record 27 Senators—most of the Democratic caucus—just voted to block new arms sales to Israel. It’s a new high water mark for holding Israel accountable in Congress, mirroring rising voter sentiment against subsidizing and arming Israeli violations of US and international law.
Today’s Senate vote on halting new arms sales to Israel will be a major test for Democratic presidential hopefuls. Continuing to arm Israel as it starves civilians will be seen as disqualifying by many Democratic voters, 83% of whom oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza. news.gallup.com/poll/692948/...
We're glad that 40 Senators have finally woken up to the Israeli government's starvation of Palestinians in Gaza. Now they must vote to block the weapons the US is sending to the Israeli military as it continues its genocidal campaign in Gaza & maintains its system of apartheid over Palestinians.
Today’s votes present Senators with a clear choice: Back up your condemnations of starvation and killing in Gaza with concrete action, or continue to unconditionally send Israel the arms it is using to restrict aid delivery, fire on Palestinian civilians, and forcibly displace them from their land.
These votes present Senators with a choice between backing up their condemnations of starvation and killing in Gaza with concrete action, or continuing to unconditionally send Israel the arms it is using to enforce its siege, fire on Palestinian civilians, and forcibly displace them from their land.
Human rights experts, including Israeli scholars and groups, say a genocide is taking place in Gaza. France and the UK will recognize Palestinian statehood. Moderate US lawmakers are calling to halt military aid to Israel. The political dam is cracking on Israel-Palestine, but is not yet broken.
Good to see the UK joining France on this. Countries must also take active steps to put real pressure on Israel to end its campaign of forced displacement, starvation and slaughter in Gaza and illegal annexation in the West Bank. See @mattduss.bsky.social: internationalpolicy.org/publications...
NEW from @senangusking.bsky.social on Gaza: “I cannot defend the indefensible…I am through supporting the actions of the current Israeli government and will advocate—and vote—for an end to any United States support whatsoever until there is a demonstrable change in the direction of Israeli policy.”
Don’t be fooled by claims that Israel is ending the deadly famine it caused in Gaza by “pausing” its near-total siege. The aid it’s letting in is a fraction of what is needed and key relief operations are still prohibited. Israel’s starvation of Gaza continues. www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Trump gave Israel the bombs it uses to kill civilians. He armed Israel’s siege starving two million people, half of them kids. He defunded UNRWA and USAID. He proposed the forced displacement—aka ethnic cleansing—that Israel is now openly pursuing in Gaza. And he wants Palestinians to thank him?
AIPAC was promoting the lie that Hamas routinely stole aid in Gaza as recently as this week. It has repeatedly used this lie to lobby in support of Israel’s near-total siege and restrictions on UN operations that are starving one million children and their families. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/26/w...
“The Israeli military never found proof that [Hamas] had systematically stolen aid from the United Nations…In fact, the Israeli military officials said, the UN aid delivery system, which Israel derided and undermined, was largely effective in providing food to Gaza’s desperate and hungry population”
Lawmakers who refuse to speak out forcefully against Israel’s deadly mass starvation of Gaza should resign. One million children and their families are being starved by a country using US weapons to block aid. If you cannot bring yourself to oppose this, why did you go into public service at all?
Recognition of Palestinian statehood is a welcome step, but France and others, including the U.S., should immediately take concrete action to put real pressure on Israel to stop its campaign of forced displacement, starvation and slaughter in Gaza and illegal annexation in the occupied West Bank.
The destruction of USAID is a humanitarian crisis and a disaster for any attempts at business beyond bribery. The latest @cipolicy.bsky.social story internationalpolicy.org/publications...
📢 New statement from @mattduss.bsky.social in response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France will recognize Palestinian statehood. internationalpolicy.org/publications...
Israel broke the last Gaza ceasefire and continues to reject a new one that would end the war. It is starving one million children. It has killed hundreds of civilians seeking aid. It is openly attempting the forced displacement—also known as ethnic cleansing—of Gaza’s people. Arms embargo NOW.
The distance between what is in happening Gaza, fully backed with US dollars and political support, and the reaction of American politicians who by and large just don’t seem to care or support it is just completely brain-breaking. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/w...
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is a Frankenstein's Monster of corporate consultants, the Israeli government and for-profit mercenary companies. It is not a bona fide aid organization, but another tool of Israel's effort to forcibly displace the people of Gaza. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
“In a joint statement, 115 organizations described the dire food shortage in Gaza as ‘mass starvation,’ as the ‘Israeli government’s siege starves the people of Gaza.’” Starving civilians as a method of warfare is a war crime and a crime against humanity. abcnews.go.com/Internationa...
"I want to be clear – what is being done to Palestinians in Gaza is barbaric and entirely preventable…. From inside Nasser hospital, I am telling you: this is deliberate. This is preventable. And this must stop now.” Dr Nick Maynard www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Calling for the starvation of a people is incitement to genocide. Incitement to genocide is a crime under both U.S. and international law.
This man spouts the most unfathomably vile, genocidal rhetoric without a peep from his colleagues, meanwhile the only Palestinian-American in Congress was censured for "promoting false narratives" about Gaza
America’s new golden age.
Tuesday tidings! Joining @zerlinamaxwell.bsky.social: Latino USA EP @maria-hinojosa.bsky.social, @cipolicy.bsky.social VP for Gov. Affairs @dylanwilliams.bsky.social + Fmr Biden Appointee @lilygreenbergcall.bsky.social! ☎️ 866-997-4748 📻 @siriusxmprog.bsky.social Ch. 127 siriusxm.us/Zerlina
Politico Playbook named this new Foreign Policy piece by @cipolicy.bsky.social’s @mattduss.bsky.social a “must-read.” “Biden’s Team Lied About Gaza. It’s Time to Hold Them Accountable.” foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/18/b...
Children are dying and people are collapsing in the street as Israel starves Gaza and kills hundreds seeking aid. Countries have a responsibility to protect civilians against such crimes against humanity. Impose an arms embargo, sanction Israel and break the siege now. www.pbs.org/newshour/amp...
You've probably seen news recently about the Israeli military deliberately targeting Palestinian civilians seeking food and water at aid sites. Because it's difficult to truly grasp how often these war crimes are taking place, here is a thread of some distinct incidents since June 1. 🧵
Israel is starving civilians in Gaza by blocking the delivery of international aid. Hospitals are overrun with those dying of hunger, while doctors and staff have themselves run out of food, and people are collapsing in the street. One million children are at risk. www.reuters.com/world/middle...
“Biden’s Team Lied About Gaza. It’s Time to Hold Them Accountable” @cipolicy.bsky.social’s @mattduss.bsky.social explains in @foreignpolicy.com how impunity for abetting war crimes weakens U.S. democracy. foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/18/b...
Israel has just attacked Gaza’s only Catholic Church, adding to the list of civilian sites where it has slaughtered innocent people. Hospitals, schools, tent camps of displaced families, aid sites crowded with those it starved — nowhere is safe from Israel’s terror. www.reuters.com/world/middle...
Today, just about 90 minutes ago, a sign went up across from the Stallion Gate onto White Sands Missile Range. It's a historical marker, an acknowledgement of the downwinders harmed by the world's first atomic detonation, 80 years ago today. www.dchieftain.com/community/do...
It is embarrassing that the US Ambassador to Israel is a Greater Israel shill quick to use bigoted tropes, whether against Palestinian or Irish people. Ireland is right to weigh bolstering international law by banning goods from illegal settlements in occupied territory. www.rte.ie/news/middle-...
Imagine. If. Biden. Had. Done. This.
Continued denial that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza “will cause unmitigated damage not just to the people of Gaza and Israel but also to the system of international law established in the wake of the horrors of the Holocaust, designed to prevent such atrocities from happening ever again.”
NEW in @nytimes.com: “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people…This is not just my conclusion. A growing number of experts in genocide studies and international law have concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza can only be defined as genocide.” www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/o...
Congressman Jerry Nadler, the dean of the Jewish caucus, condemns Israeli settlers’ murder of Palestinian-American Sayfollah Musallet. Nadler has introduced a bill to codify a process implemented by the Biden administration—but later revoked by Trump—for imposing U.S. sanctions on violent settlers.
Bombing displaced families in tents. Slaughtering children collecting water. Impeding the delivery of infant formula as babies starve. Israel’s war on Gaza is an endless series of atrocities against children—and the U.S. and others arming and providing it diplomatic cover are willing accomplices.
🚨 Despite the narrative coming from the WH and their stenographers in elite media - couldn't be more clear now: majority of Americans hate Trump's cruel, heartless immigration policy (62% disapprove). Any Dem (elected or consultants) telling Ds to be on defensive on immigration are gaslighting ...
“A 23-year-old man was beaten to death by Israeli settlers during an attack on Palestinians…He is said to have also held American citizenship.” “As is almost always the case in incidents of settler violence, there have been no reported arrests carried out.” www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_ent...
Just as cuts have contributed to the preventable deaths of dozens of Americans in floods and tens of thousands of lives lost abroad by ending US aid projects fighting disease, hollowing out the State Department will inevitably incur a major human cost. @cipolicy.bsky.social’s @mattduss.bsky.social:
When the museum of the Gaza Genocide is built, there will be an entire exhibit on how Israel’s obscene aid mechanism was just another means of killing starving civilians. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
CIP's EVP @mattduss.bsky.social's statement on the Trump Administration's massive cuts to the State Department’s workforce
If this were being done by another country, we’d condemn its atrocities, impose an arms embargo & sanction its officials. But as it’s Israel, we’re criminalizing criticism of it, sending billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded bombs & welcoming Netanyahu with open arms. www.bbc.com/news/article...
U.S. MOVE TO SANCTION A U.N. OFFICIAL IS ROGUE STATE BEHAVIOR 🚨 In response to U.S. sanctions on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese for her DUE cooperation with the ICC, CIP VP @dylanwilliams.bsky.social issued the following statement: internationalpolicy.org/publications...
“Punishing UN officials for doing their jobs, like the administration’s sanctioning of ICC officials and their families earlier this year, is rogue state behavior that undermines global and human security, while providing succor to human rights abusers and war criminals” — @cipolicy.bsky.social
My comments on US sanctions on a UN official quoted by Reuters: Rights experts slammed the US sanctions against Albanese. Dylan Williams, vice president for government affairs at the Center for International Policy think tank, labeled them as “rogue state behavior”. www.reuters.com/world/middle...
This is rogue state behavior. You can’t say you’re for the rule of law or any sort of international order if you support this. Even if you think Netanyahu isn’t guilty, punishing the International Criminal Court or those engaged in its due process puts you on the side of dictators & war criminals.
As Palestinians in Gaza risk death for scraps of aid to feed their kids, the war criminal wanted for starving and killing them nominates the convicted felon arming and conspiring with him to commit ethnic cleansing for a Nobel Peace Prize at a fancy dinner. They belong not in Oslo, but The Hague.
No US lawmaker who supports the rule of law should welcome a foreign official credibly wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Unless it’s to tell Netanyahu to end his atrocities and face justice, participating in this meeting only legitimizes him and excuses his unconscionable actions.
Not content with the deaths of sick kids and people who live in ever-expanding flood zones, Trump turns his deadly services cuts on veterans.
Over 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces at Gaza aid sites. These killings are war crimes on top of the war crime of using starvation of a method of warfare, on top of the crime against humanity of seeking to forcibly displace Gaza’s civilian population. www.dw.com/en/middle-ea...
“We Are Wittingly Fooling Ourselves About Trump’s Attack on Iran” Accepting Trump’s false narrative won’t prevent more war—it’ll only further normalize unauthorized strikes and the deceit used to justify them. @cipolicy.bsky.social’s @nancyokail.bsky.social in TNR: newrepublic.com/article/1969...
Trump’s big bill will come to be seen as a reverse New Deal, redistributing income to the wealthy from millions of working Americans driven into poverty, sickness and hunger. The response must be an era-defining movement for human security—including affordable health care, housing and food—for all.
The U.S. attack on Iran, likely failed and unpopular, worsened regional instability and increased the risk of prolonged conflict. Read @mattduss.bsky.social’s insights on Trump’s misplaced faith in the efficacy of the Iran attacks in @foreignpolicy.com foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/27/t...
NEW: American contractors are firing toward crowds of starving Palestinians at Gaza aid sites where hundreds of civilians have been killed. The US contractors are “often unqualified, unvetted, heavily armed and seemed to have an open license to do whatever they wished.” apnews.com/article/pale...
Sometimes economic performance is due to factors beyond a president's control. But this is all Trump. And his budget bill, which will throw our health care system into chaos and inflate the debt so badly as to spike interest rates, will make it even worse.
But “we’re broke”, right? We can’t afford health care, housing, education, etc right? A budget is a moral document. 🇺🇸
NEW: American contractors are firing toward crowds of starving Palestinians at Gaza aid sites where hundreds of civilians have been killed. The US contractors are “often unqualified, unvetted, heavily armed and seemed to have an open license to do whatever they wished.” apnews.com/article/pale...
The more I think about this statement the more remarkable it is. Zohran Mamdani is basically saying: If you threaten immigrants with your secret police, you're threatening all of us. Very solidaristic. Dems can learn from this.
Israel used a US-made 500 lb bomb in an attack on a crowded Gaza cafe. The use of such a large, indiscriminate munition despite the known presence of many civilians, including children, women and elderly people, is another war crime abetted by the United States. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
UNDER THE IRAN DEAL: - strict limit on low enriched uranium (LEU) - no highly enriched uranium (HEU) - IAEA inspections & 24/7 monitoring *** AFTER TRUMP BROKE THE DEAL & BOMBED: - tons of LEU - several weapons worth of HEU is now missing - no IAEA oversight www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/w...
Trump took us from intrusive inspections and 24/7 monitoring of Iran’s nuclear program under the Iran Deal to this—nothing. The failure of maximum pressure and military action in comparison to diplomacy and a deal is indisputable and exactly what JCPOA backers predicted. apnews.com/article/iran...
Couple this with Trump’s remarks in the same press conference about denaturalizing Mamdani over political views and creating a system of detention centers. Trump is envisioning concentration camps across the country holding Americans stripped of citizenship as “foreigners” subject to disappearance.
If any other president had threatened to prosecute a mainstream media outlet for simply reporting the news, if he had called their very act of reporting ‘illegal’, it would have been the biggest story in America for weeks. But with Trump…crickets. Including from the media itself that’s under threat!
It’s a genocide.
The death toll from the Trump Administration’s foreign aid cuts could total more than the number of Jewish people killed in the Holocaust, Ukrainians killed in the Holodomor, and Cambodians killed in the genocide by the Khmer Rouge, combined. www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...
Literally nobody wants to hear this, but on Israel/Palestine Mamdani is a mainstream Democrat.