[View in browser]( Dear {NAME}, Hear me out. I need to share this with you. I did not grow up in an environment where conversations about Israel and Palestine were commonplace. We were a working-class family in a small community, and foreign policy issues were not frequently discussed. We were neither Jews nor Arabs. My family has been in West Virginia for centuries, and our world was insulated. I didn't have access to the kind of liberal arts education where history is examined from different perspectives. In the Marines, my training did not include a deep dive into the events that led to Nakba in 1948, which, by the way, means "the catastrophe" in Arabic. I am from the same cloth as most Americans; I am a working West Virginian. As a future U.S. Senator, I'm dedicated to deepening my knowledge and understanding of current events' historical and legal context because the responsibility to and the influence this country has over millions of people in faraway lands is enormous. I don't take this power lightly.
Our media industry often sensationalizes terms like war, self-defense, and human shields to mold public opinion toward the monied interests of their advertisers and influential stakeholders and the system that allows them to rake in incredible profit at the expense of truth and balanced reporting. As I broaden my context, I'm learning what these terms mean under the International Human Rights Law that we as a country claim to support and yet so rarely honor. - The term "war" is used intentionally to create the impression that what is going on between Israel and Palestinians is a conflict between two autonomous states. That cannot be further from the truth, as Israel is the occupier, and Hamas is the governing body of the occupied territory but not a sovereign government. - Israel has obligations under international law to provide services and ensure the safety of its occupied population. On October 7th, when Hamas attacked, they had the right to use police powers to apprehend the criminals and prosecute them but not to use their massive military might against an essentially defenseless people. We cannot use the "right to defense" language describing Israel's revenge that has so far killed approximately 23,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of whom are women and children. - In the context of international law, using human shields means actually putting a civilian in front of a military vehicle or combatants while advancing on the enemy. It doesn't mean having combatants living or even operating in the areas civilians occupy. Using human shields is a war crime. Israel uses the human shield argument to justify their illegal, immoral, massive-scale attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. Israel wants to drive the Palestinians out of Gaza. If you want a U.S. Senator who takes seriously the treaties we as a country signed, stands firmly on the side of human rights for everyone everywhere, and responsibly yields the power vested in his office, [support our campaign today generously.](
//gvxllm.clicks.mlsend.com/te/cl/eyJ2Ijoie1wiYVwiOjc1ODc0OSxcImxcIjoxMDk5NTE4NDMwNDQ0MjczMzUsXCJyXCI6MTA5OTUxODUxNjM4NTU1NzE0fSIsInMiOiIwOWYyN2I5OWQ4MmQwYmYzIn0[I'm the only Democrat running for the U.S. Senate in West Virginia. Your contribution today will add a strong voice for human rights in the Senate and protect it from a MAGA Republican majority.](
With hopes for peace, Zach Shrewsbury
Candidate for U.S. Senate (D-WV) [DONATE]( Zach Shrewsbury (D-WV) is running for the U.S. Senate seat as the only Democrat in the race. A native West Virginian, a Marine Corps veteran, and a grandson of a coal miner, Zach has a passion for making a difference in his community. He has seen firsthand the struggles faced by working families who are just trying to get by. Zach's military service experiences and his work as a community and climate justice organizer shaped his commitment to fighting for social and economic justice, and he's dedicated his career to making a difference in people's lives. [For Democrats to keep the Senate, Zach has to win. Support the campaign today.]( [DONATE]( Mail checks to: Shrewsbury for Senate PO Box 82, Fayetteville West Virginia, United States of America [Sent by MailerLite](