We agree with these goals and want to do our part to help. As the President prepares to send his FY2012 budget request to Congress next month, we recommend that he cut the deficit by eliminating his anticipated, record-breaking request for $3,075,000,000 in military aid to Israel.

Israel misuses the U.S. weapons it purchases with our hard-earned tax dollars, in blatant contravention of the Arms Export Control Act and Foreign Assistance Act, to commit human rights violations against Palestinians forced to live under its illegal 43-year military occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.

We can think of much better uses for our taxes. So today we’re excited to re-launch our campaign to challenge military aid to Israel in 2011. At our website: www.aidtoisrael.org, our interactive map shows how much money your city, county, Congressional district and state provide in military aid to Israel. It also shows you the quantity of health care, education, housing and jobs training this money could purchase instead.

Overview
A number of people have been arrested in Cairo, including staff members of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Some are detained in an unknown location.
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An Amnesty International representative has been detained by police in Cairo after the Hisham Mubarak Law Centre was taken over by military police this morning.

The Amnesty International member of staff was taken, along with Ahmed Seif Al Islam, Khaled Ali, a delegate from Human Rights Watch and others, to an unknown location in Cairo. Amnesty International does not know their current whereabouts.

“We call for the immediate and safe release of our colleagues and others with them who should be able to monitor the human rights situation in Egypt at this crucial time without fear of harassment or detention,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

A number of other activists are still being held in the Centre.