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







111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 34

Recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, 
reaffirming the United States strong support for Israel, and supporting 
                 the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 8, 2009

   Ms. Pelosi (for herself, Mr. Boehner, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Cantor, Mr. 
    Clyburn, Mr. Pence, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. McCarthy of 
California, Mr. Berman, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Ackerman, and Mr. Burton 
 of Indiana) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, 
reaffirming the United States strong support for Israel, and supporting 
                 the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

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.
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