110 HJ 84 IH: Expressing the commitment of Congress to U.S. House of Representatives 2008-05-14 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IA 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. J. RES. 84 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 14, 2008 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. Pence, and Mr. Klein of Florida) introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs JOINT RESOLUTION Expressing the commitment of Congress to continue to make it a priority to fight anti-Semitism and to promote tolerance at home and abroad.

Whereas it is the policy of the United States to protect minorities and to oppose hatred based on nationality, religion, race, or ethnicity, including countering anti-Semitism, at home and abroad; Whereas according to the Contemporary Global Anti-Semitism Report released by the Department of State’s Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, “[o]ver the last decade, United States embassies and consulates have reported an upsurge in anti-Semitism . . . and that [a]nti-Semitic crimes range from acts of violence, including terrorist attacks against Jews, to the desecration and destruction of Jewish property . . . and that “[a]nti-Semitic rhetoric, conspiracy theories, and other propaganda circulate widely and rapidly by satellite television, radio, and the Internet”; Whereas the Anti-Semitism Report adopts the working definition of anti-Semitism that the European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) formulated in close collaboration with the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Whereas the Anti-Semitism Report excerpts some key parts of the definition, including: “Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”; Whereas the Anti-Semitism Report also states: Manifestations of anti-Semitism could also target the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity. Anti-Semitism frequently charges Jews with conspiring to harm humanity, and it is often used to blame Jews for why things go wrong. It is expressed in speech, writing, visual forms and action, and employs sinister stereotypes and negative character traits. ; Whereas, for purposes of this resolution, the term “anti-Semitism” shall have the meaning given that term in the Anti-Semitism Report, including Holocaust denial or trivialization and denial of the Jewish people’s right to self-determination by claiming that the existence of the State of Israel is a manifestation of racism, requiring behavior of Israel not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation, using the symbols and images associated with classic anti-Semitism to characterize Israel or Israelis, or comparing Israeli policy with that of the Nazis; Whereas expansion of media outlets, including television and the Internet, has vastly increased opportunities to proliferate anti-Semitic propaganda; Whereas government-sponsored anti-Semitism, including anti-Semitism expressed in state-sponsored media, continues to be a significant problem in multiple countries throughout the world; Whereas anti-Semitic material in the media, particularly in cases where it is sanctioned by the government, legitimizes anti-Semitism and foments hatred and intolerance; Whereas the Anti-Semitism Report lists Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, and Belarus as some of the countries with state-controlled media that distributes anti-Semitic materials; Whereas expressions of anti-Semitism in government owned or controlled media appear in articles, cartoons, shows, even television shows for children, and other media; Whereas typical examples of anti-Semitic expressions in government owned or controlled media, include— (1)portraying stereotypical images of Jews and Jewish symbols, such as allegations that Jews control the world or depictions of Jews as thieves; (2)accepting as fact The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion or the Blood Libels; (3)depicting demonic images of Jews or Israeli leaders; (4)denying the Holocaust; (5)alleging that the September 11, 2001, attacks against the United States were carried out by Jews; and (6)comparisons of Israeli leaders and Israel to Hitler and the Nazis; Whereas some governments fail to respond adequately to anti-Semitic incidents including attacks on Jewish citizens, monuments, building, and cemeteries; and Whereas the United Nations Human Rights Council, and its predecessor the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, has singled out Israel through resolutions and special sessions criticizing the Jewish State, while paying little attention to actual notorious human rights violators, including Belarus, Burma, Cuba, North Korea, and Sudan: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress— (1)expresses its commitment to continue to make it a priority to fight anti-Semitism and to promote tolerance at home and abroad; (2)urges all governments to take all steps necessary to eradicate anti-Semitism and to promote religious tolerance; (3)condemns any and all official and unofficial sanctioning of anti-Semitic activity by any government; (4)condemns the continuing anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activities and rhetoric at the United Nations; (5)expresses that, it shall be the policy of the United States, when evaluating its relationship with any foreign government, including when determining United States foreign assistance to be provided, to take into account whether a foreign government actively or passively foments anti-Semitism by, among other things— (A)using media that is government-owned or subject to government control; (B)seeking to control religious thought and expression; (C)failing to discourage anti-Semitism or incitement to anti-Semitism; (D)discriminating against religious groups; (E)establishing policies that aim to discriminate against religious groups or fail adequately to protect religious groups from harassment, discrimination, and attacks; and (F)fomenting anti-Semitism or other religious intolerance among its youth, including in its schools; (6)expresses that it shall be the policy of the United States Government when conducting its annual review of the status of religious freedom worldwide and determining which countries should be designated as “Countries of Particular Concern”, to pay special attention to government sponsorship, fomenting or endorsement of anti-Semitic activities as well as any government’s failure to take adequate steps to halt anti-Semitic activities; (7)calls on the President to direct the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to prevent the use of the United Nations regular budget to support the planned 2009 Durban Review Conference; (8)calls on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to— (A)officially and publicly condemn any anti-Semitic statements made at United Nations meetings; (B)establish and enforce policies to hold accountable any United Nations official or employee who makes such statements; and (C)further develop and implement education awareness programs about historic and contemporary anti-Semitism, including the Holocaust, as part of an effort to combat the global rise in anti-Semitism; and (9)calls on the Secretary of State to secure adoption of a United Nations General Assembly resolution implementing procedures at the United Nations to hold accountable member states that make anti-Semitic or incendiary statements and engage in anti-Semitic or incendiary activities, including by suspending the membership privileges of such member states.