Susan Sarandon to amplify ceasefire calls alongside pro-Palestine activists on Capitol Hill

Washington DC - Academy Award-winning actor Susan Sarandon is set to join activists at Capitol Hill on Thursday as they protest US lawmakers' continued support for Israel's assault on Gaza.

Susan Sarandon is visiting Capitol Hill on Thursday to demand US lawmakers act to protest Palestinian lives under threat.
Susan Sarandon is visiting Capitol Hill on Thursday to demand US lawmakers act to protest Palestinian lives under threat.  © Ed JONES / AFP

The action, organized by the feminist anti-war group CODEPINK, comes as legislators in Washington mull a proposal this week to extend an additional $95 billion in foreign military funding, including $14 billion to Israel.

The Biden-backed package was torpedoed Wednesday by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who remains a vocal supporter of Israel.

The legislation sparked fierce outcry from many Americans who have called for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to US support for Israel's brutal campaign, which has killed at least 28,576 Palestinians to date.

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Many Americans have also denounced the US government's decision to defund UNRWA – a key United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees – in Gazans' time of greatest need.

Sarandon added her voice to those calls in a press release ahead of the Capitol Hill visit: "As a mother & grandmother, I can’t bear watching the ongoing suffering of the mothers in Gaza, especially knowing that we in the US are paying for the weapons that are killing them and their families."

"I say to Congress: stop supporting this genocide, call for a permanent ceasefire and the resuming of humanitarian aid through UNRWA," she added.

Susan Sarandon requests congressional meetings

Thousands of people march and rally for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to US military support for Israel in Washington DC.
Thousands of people march and rally for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to US military support for Israel in Washington DC.  © IMAGO / Cover-Images

A New York native, Sarandon has requested meetings with Representatives Ritchie Torres and Hakeem Jeffries, both of whom have received enormous contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobbying group.

AIPAC has vowed to spend huge sums this cycle to unseat progressives sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Both Torres and Jeffries count the group as their top 2023-2024 campaign contributor, benefitting to the tune of $367,994 and $323,050, respectively, according to Open Secrets.

As of Tuesday afternoon, CODEPINK said Torres had rejected Sarandon's meeting request, and Jeffries had not yet responded.

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If no meeting is granted, Sarandon and fellow activists will stage a sit-in outside the two Democrats' congressional offices around 2:00 PM ET.

While on Capitol Hill, the Thelma & Louise actor also plans to meet with congressional progressives who have already come out in support of a ceasefire in Gaza.

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO / Cover-Images & Jamie McCarthy / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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