Whereas Hamas was founded with the stated goal of
destroying the State of Israel;
Whereas Hamas has been designated by the Secretary of
State as a Foreign Terrorist Organization;
Whereas Hamas has refused to comply with the requirements
of the Quartet (the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United
Nations) 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 crossed into Israel, attacked
Israeli forces and kidnapped Corporal Gilad Shalit, whom they continue to hold
today;
Whereas Hamas has launched thousands of rockets and
mortars since Israel dismantled settlements and withdrew from Gaza in
2005;
Whereas Hamas has increased the range of its rockets,
reportedly with support from Iran and others, putting additional large numbers
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 [w]e strongly condemn the repeated
rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and hold Hamas responsible for
breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence there
;
Whereas, on December 27, 2008, Prime Minister of Israel
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, on January 2, 2009, Secretary of State Rice
stated that “Hamas has held the people of Gaza hostage ever since their illegal
coup against the forces of President Mahmoud Abbas, the legitimate President of
the Palestinian people. Hamas has used Gaza as a launching pad for rockets
against Israeli cities and has contributed deeply to a very bad daily life for
the Palestinian people in Gaza, and to a humanitarian situation that we have
all been trying to address”;
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 over 500 trucks and numerous ambulances entering the Gaza Strip since
December 26, 2008;
Whereas, on January 2, 2009, Secretary of State Rice
stated that it was Hamas that rejected the Egyptian and Arab calls for
an extension of the tahadiya that Egypt had negotiated
and that the
United States was working toward a cease-fire that would not allow a
reestablishment of the status quo ante where Hamas can continue to launch
rockets out of Gaza. It is obvious that that cease-fire should take place as
soon as possible, but we need a cease-fire that is durable and
sustainable
; and
Whereas the ultimate goal of the United States is a
sustainable resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will allow for
a viable and independent Palestinian state living side by side in peace and
security with the State of Israel, which will not be possible as long as
Israeli civilians are under threat from within Gaza: Now, therefore, be
it
That the Senate—
(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 acts of terrorism;
(2)reiterates that
Hamas must end the rocket and mortar attacks against Israel, recognize Israel’s
right to exist, renounce violence, and agree to accept previous agreements
between Israel and the Palestinians;
(3)encourages the
President to work actively to support a durable, enforceable, and sustainable
cease-fire in Gaza, as soon as possible, that prevents Hamas from retaining or
rebuilding the capability to launch rockets and mortars against Israel and
allows for the long term improvement of daily living conditions for the
ordinary people of Gaza;
(4)believes strongly
that the lives of innocent civilians must be protected and all appropriate
measures should be taken to diminish civilian casualties and that all involved
should continue to work to address humanitarian needs in Gaza;
(5)supports and
encourages efforts to diminish the appeal and influence of extremists in the
Palestinian territories and to strengthen moderate Palestinians who are
committed to a secure and lasting peace with Israel; and
(6)reiterates its
strong support for United States Government efforts to promote a just
resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a serious and sustained
peace process that leads to the creation of a viable and independent
Palestinian state living in peace alongside a secure State of Israel.