U.S. Church Leaders have called on Congress to tie U.S. military aid to Israel to human rights law compliance, citing the need for a government investigation of possible "misuse" of U.S.-supplied weapons for crowd control such as tear gas.

The request was made in a letter released on Friday by the Presbyterian Church (USA) on its website. There were 15 signatories, including Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, President Rosemarie Wenner of the United Methodist Council of Bishops and Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

At several points in the letter the churches say they have supported both Israelis and Palestinians in their desire for peace, have seen the impacts of conflicts on both sides.

However the letter also faults "unconditional U.S. military assistance to Israel," which the leaders say has contributed to deterioration of conditions.

The letter specifically cites the "misuse" of U.S.-supplied weapons for "crowd control" such as tear gas.

"This is made clear in the most recent 2011 State Department Country Report on Human Rights Practices covering Israel and the Occupied Territories, which details widespread Israeli human rights violations committed against Palestinian civilians, many of which involve the misuse of U.S.-supplied weapons," the letter states.

Call for Probe and Hearings

"[W]e urge an immediate investigation into possible violations by Israel of the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act and the U.S. Arms Export Control Act which respectively prohibit assistance to any country which engages in a consistent pattern of human rights violations and limit the use of U.S. weapons which engages in a consistent pattern of human rights violations and limit the U.S. weapons to "internal security" or "legitimate self-defense."

 "We urge Congress to hold hearings to examine Israel's compliance, and we request regular reporting on compliance and the withholding of military aid for non-compliance," they added.

Call for Aid to be Contingent on Compliance

The group says "Israel faces real security threats and has both a right and a duty to protect both states. However, the measures that it uses to protect itself and its citizens, as in the case with any other nations, must conform to international humanitarian and human rights law."

"We request, therefore, that Congress hold Israel accountable to these standards by making the disbursement of U.S. military assistance to Israel contingent on the Israeli government's compliance with applicable U.S. laws and policies," the Church leaders said.