As Sen. @ChrisMurphyCT notes, there is no justification for massive ($23 billion!) proposed US arms sale to #UAE, given their involvement in unlawful strikes that have killed scores of civilians in places like #Yemen & complete lack of accountability for abuses (thread) https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/1333977627762290693

. @hrw has called for an embargo of further arms sales to the #UAE & @amnestyusa has noted these US arms sales could make US responsible for more civilian deaths in #Yemen & #Libya https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/12/01/united-states-embargo-arms-united-arab-emirates; https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/arms-sales-to-the-uae-could-make-u-s-responsible-for-more-deaths-of-civilians-in-yemen-and-libya/

There has been essentially ZERO accountability for Saudi & UAE-led coalition in #Yemen that has bombed schools, markets, & hospitals, some of which may be war crimes, & has directly contributed to humanitarian catastrophe that is killing Yemenis every day https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/08/24/hiding-behind-coalition/failure-credibly-investigate-and-provide-redress-unlawful

& it is especially concerning when the #UAE has developed a track record of transferring #US equipment to abusive groups in #Yemen, including those linked to Al-Qaeda, as this @cnn report showed https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2019/02/middleeast/yemen-lost-us-arms/

Lastly, while the #UAE has been in the news recently concerning peace agreement w/Israel, what has absolutely not changed is #UAE's silencing of all domestic dissent & keeping brave activists like Ahmed Mansoor locked up for peaceful dissent https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/01/08/artur-and-ahmed-prison-mates-uae-hell

And according to @haaretzcom, Israel tourism ministry’s warning to visitors to #UAE offers from another perspective just how hostile #UAE is to freedom of speech; https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/.premium-tourism-ministry-don-t-discuss-palestinians-or-democracy-while-visiting-uae-1.9342408?lts=1607019399347