[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 34 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                       January 9, 2009.
Whereas Hamas was founded with the stated goal of destroying the State of 
        Israel;
Whereas Hamas has been designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist 
        Organization;
Whereas Hamas has refused to comply with the Quartet's (the United States, the 
        European Union, Russia, and the United Nations) requirements that Hamas 
        recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce violence, and agree to 
        accept previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians;
Whereas in June 2006, Hamas illegally crossed into Israel, attacked Israeli 
        forces, and kidnaped Corporal Gilad Shalit, whom they continue to hold 
        today;
Whereas Hamas has launched thousands of rockets and mortars against Israeli 
        population centers since 2001, and has launched more than 6,000 such 
        rockets and mortars since Israel withdrew its civilian population and 
        its military from Gaza in 2005;
Whereas Hamas has increased the range and payload of its rockets, reportedly 
        with support from Iran and others, putting hundreds of thousands of 
        Israelis in danger of rocket attacks from Gaza;
Whereas Hamas locates elements of its terrorist infrastructure in civilian 
        population centers, thus using innocent civilians as human shields;
Whereas Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a statement on December 27, 
        2008, that ``We strongly condemn the repeated rocket and mortar attacks 
        against Israel and hold Hamas responsible for breaking the cease-fire 
        and for the renewal of violence there'';
Whereas on December 27, 2008, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said, ``For 
        approximately seven years, hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens in 
        the south have been suffering from missiles being fired at them . . . In 
        such a situation we had no alternative but to respond. We do not rejoice 
        in battle but neither will we be deterred from it. . . .The operation in 
        the Gaza Strip is designed, first and foremost, to bring about an 
        improvement in the security reality for the residents of the south of 
        the country'';
Whereas the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including shortages of food, water, 
        electricity, and adequate medical care, is becoming more acute;
Whereas Israel has facilitated humanitarian aid to Gaza with hundreds of trucks 
        carrying humanitarian assistance and numerous ambulances entering the 
        Gaza Strip since the current round of fighting began on December 27, 
        2008;
Whereas on January 6, 2009, before the United Nations Security Council, 
        Secretary Rice stated that: ``The situation before the current events in 
        Gaza was clearly not sustainable. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis 
        lived under the daily threat of rocket attack, and frankly, no country, 
        none of our countries, would have been willing to tolerate such a 
        circumstance. Moreover, the people of Gaza watched as insecurity and 
        lawlessness increased and as their living conditions grew more dire 
        because of Hamas's actions which began with the illegal coup against the 
        Palestinian Authority in Gaza. . .A ceasefire that returns to those 
        circumstances is unacceptable and it will not last''; and
Whereas the ultimate goal of the United States is a sustainable resolution of 
        the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will ensure the welfare, security, 
        and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state 
        with secure borders, and a viable, independent, and democratic 
        Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the 
        State of Israel: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the 
        welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and 
        democratic state with secure borders, and recognizes its right to act in 
        self-defense to protect its citizens against Hamas's unceasing 
        aggression, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter;
            (2) reiterates that Hamas must end the rocket and mortar attacks 
        against Israel, recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce violence, 
        agree to accept previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians, 
        and verifiably dismantle its terrorist infrastructure;
            (3) encourages the Administration to work actively to support a 
        durable and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza , as soon as possible, that 
        prevents Hamas from retaining or rebuilding its terrorist 
        infrastructure, including the capability to launch rockets and mortars 
        against Israel, and thereby allowing for the long-term improvement of 
        daily living conditions for the people of Gaza;
            (4) believes strongly that the lives of innocent civilians must be 
        protected to the maximum extent possible, expresses condolences to 
        innocent Palestinian and Israeli victims and their families, and 
        reiterates that humanitarian needs in Gaza should be addressed promptly 
        and responsibly;
            (5) calls on all nations--
                    (A) to condemn Hamas for deliberately embedding its 
                fighters, leaders, and weapons in private homes, schools, 
                mosques, hospitals, and otherwise using Palestinian civilians as 
                human shields, while simultaneously targeting Israeli civilians; 
                and
                    (B) to lay blame both for the breaking of the ``calm'' and 
                for subsequent civilian casualties in Gaza precisely where blame 
                belongs, that is, on Hamas;
            (6) supports and encourages efforts to diminish the appeal and 
        influence of extremists in the Palestinian territories, and strengthen 
        moderate Palestinians who are committed to a secure and lasting peace 
        with Israel;
            (7) calls on Egypt to intensify its efforts to halt smuggling 
        between Gaza and Egypt and affirms the willingness of the United States 
        to continue to assist Egypt in these efforts;
            (8) calls for the immediate release of the kidnaped Israeli soldier 
        Gilad Shalit, who has been illegally held in Gaza since June 2006; and
            (9) reiterates its strong support for a just and sustainable 
        resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict achieved through 
        negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in order to 
        ensure the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a 
        Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and a viable, 
        independent, and democratic Palestinian state living side by side in 
        peace and security with the State of Israel.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.