[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 98 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 98

Expressing support for Israel and its right to self-defense against the 
        illegal nuclear program by the Islamic Republic of Iran.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 5, 2013

Mr. Gosar (for himself, Mr. Broun of Georgia, Mr. Coffman, Mr. Conaway, 
 Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Griffith of Virginia, Mr. Lance, Mr. Long, 
 Mr. Mica, Mr. Salmon, Mr. Stivers, Mr. Palazzo, and Mr. Westmoreland) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for Israel and its right to self-defense against the 
        illegal nuclear program by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Whereas all countries have the inviolate right to self-defense and self-
        preservation as a moral imperative, recognized in customary 
        international law and Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and 
        United Nations Security Council Resolution 1368, both of which hold the 
        right to self-defense to be the inherent right of sovereign states, 
        including the right to ``take all necessary steps'', to combat terrorism 
        and other forms of unconventional warfare;
Whereas under customary international law, as well as Article 2, paragraph 4 of 
        the United Nations Charter, all members of the United Nations ``shall 
        refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force 
        against the territorial integrity or political independence of any 
        state'', and the purpose of the United Nations is to take collective 
        measures for the preservation of international peace;
Whereas the actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran threaten many actors in the 
        Middle East, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and many others, 
        leading to the serious threat of massive nuclear proliferation in the 
        region, in violation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear 
        Weapons;
Whereas Iran is a rogue regime that has threatened to ``Wipe (Israel) off the 
        map'', in violation of Article 2, paragraph 4 of the United Nations 
        Charter;
Whereas Iran seeks to unlawfully obtain or create weapons of mass destruction in 
        violation of its agreement with the United Nations Agency for the 
        Application of Safeguards in Connection with the Treaty on the Non-
        Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons;
Whereas the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a report exposing 
        Iran's nuclear intentions and in November 2011 concluded that ``contrary 
        to the relevant resolutions of the Board of Governors and the Security 
        Council, Iran has not suspended its [nuclear] enrichment related 
        activities'' and continues to proceed with a nuclear weapons 
        proliferation program, and the IAEA Board of Governors have issued 10 
        resolutions condemning Iran's nuclear program;
Whereas Iran has ignored and has been indifferent to the terms of the 
        resolutions pertaining to the proliferation of weapons of mass 
        destruction, and United States and international sanctions have not 
        accomplished enough to deter its progress;
Whereas Iran has actively engaged in ongoing armed hostilities against Israel 
        for decades by supporting terrorism against Israel through military 
        proxies, including the terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah, each 
        of which have attacked Israeli civilians as well as military personnel, 
        and by attacking Israeli embassies and diplomatic personnel in 
        Argentina, Georgia, India, and Thailand;
Whereas the mere act of aggressively seeking the illicit acquisition of weapons 
        of mass destruction creates an existential threat to Israel, 
        particularly in light of Iran's illegal threats and armed hostilities 
        against Israel, as well as a grave threat to peace and stability of the 
        region in violation of Article 1, paragraph 1 of the United Nations 
        Charter;
Whereas existential threats against Israel have been planned, expressed, or 
        executed since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 and have 
        continued relentlessly thus causing Israel to defend itself vigilantly;
Whereas in the Six-Day War, Israel was forced to engage in successful military 
        action against Egypt under similar circumstances on June 5, 1967;
Whereas the United States Department of State concluded that the Six-Day War is 
        ``the most cited example'' of the right to take such actions for self-
        defense in response to a grave and obvious threat;
Whereas Israel took similar action in the 1981 attack on Iraq's nuclear facility 
        at Osirak, which averted an unquestionably hostile and violent regime 
        from acquiring nuclear weapons, and also in 2007 when Israel attacked 
        Syria's Al-Kibar nuclear facility, an ally of Iran who has been engaged 
        in the murder of Israeli citizens and military personnel, with the aid 
        of Iran;
Whereas the United States supports the original mission of the United Nations 
        Charter to maintain international peace and security;
Whereas the United States has recognized, since 2002 through the National 
        Security Strategy, that the United States ``must adapt the concept of 
        imminent threat to the capabilities and objectives of today's 
        adversaries'';
Whereas in 1979 and 1980, Iran has been involved in the kidnapping of United 
        States citizens and diplomatic personnel, in direct violation of 
        international law, and assisting terrorists in kidnapping United States 
        citizens in Lebanon throughout the 1980s;
Whereas Iran has been involved in the systematic murder of United States 
        soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan for years, continuing today, through 
        support of terrorist organizations allied with Iran, including giving 
        armor-piercing technology to terrorists; and
Whereas the United States has continuously supported its ally Israel, and 
        supported Israel's right to defend itself, and has taken similar actions 
        itself as necessary self-defense measures as far back as the 1962 Cuban 
        Missile Crisis: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives fully supports Israel's 
lawful exercise of self-defense, including actions to halt Iranian 
aggression such as a strike against Iran's illegal nuclear program.
                                 <all>