[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 7, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H4152-H4157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING SENSE OF HOUSE REGARDING MANIFESTATIONS OF ANTI-SEMITISM BY 
                      UNITED NATIONS MEMBER STATES

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 282) expressing the sense of the House 
of Representatives regarding manifestations of anti-Semitism by United 
Nations member states and urging action against anti-Semitism by United 
Nations officials, United Nations member states, and the Government of 
the United States, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 282

       Whereas the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human 
     Rights recognizes that ``the inherent dignity and equal and 
     inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the 
     foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world'';
       Whereas United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379 
     (1975) concluded that ``Zionism is a form of racism and 
     racial discrimination'' and the General Assembly, by a vote 
     of 111 to 25, only revoked Resolution 3379 in 1991 in 
     response to strong leadership by the United States and after 
     Israel made its participation in the Madrid Peace Conference 
     conditional upon repeal of the resolution;
       Whereas during the 1991 session of the United Nations 
     Commission on Human Rights, the Syrian Ambassador to the 
     United Nations repeated the outrageous ``blood libel'' that 
     Jews allegedly have killed non-Jewish children to make 
     unleavened bread for Passover and, despite repeated 
     interventions by the Governments of Israel and the United 
     States, this outrageous lie was not corrected in the record 
     of the Commission for many months;
       Whereas in March 1997, the Palestinian observer at the 
     United Nations Commission on Human Rights made the 
     contemptible charge that the Government of Israel had 
     injected 300 Palestinian children with HIV (the human 
     immunodeficiency virus, the pathogen that causes AIDS) 
     despite the fact that an Egyptian newspaper had printed a 
     full retraction to its earlier report of the same charges, 
     and the President of the Commission failed to challenge this 
     baseless and false accusation despite the request of the 
     Government of Israel that he do so;
       Whereas Israel was denied membership in any regional 
     grouping of the United Nations until the year 2000, which 
     prevented it from being a candidate for any elected positions 
     within the United Nations system until that time, and Israel 
     continues to be denied the opportunity to hold a rotating 
     seat on the Security Council and it is the only member of the 
     United Nations never to have served on the Security Council 
     although it has been a member of the organization for 56 
     years;
       Whereas Israel continues to be denied the opportunity to 
     serve as a member of the United Nations Commission on Human 
     Rights because it has never been included in a slate of 
     candidates submitted by a regional grouping, and Israel is 
     currently the only member of the Western and Others Group in 
     a conditional status limiting its ability to caucus with its 
     fellow members of this regional grouping;

[[Page H4153]]

       Whereas the United Nations has permitted itself to be used 
     as a battleground for political warfare against Israel led by 
     Arab states and others, and 6 of the 10 emergency sessions of 
     the United Nations General Assembly have been devoted to 
     criticisms of and attacks against Israel;
       Whereas the goals of the 2001 United Nations World 
     Conference Against Racism were undermined by hateful anti-
     Jewish rhetoric and anti-Israel political agendas, prompting 
     both Israel and the United States to withdraw their 
     delegations from the Conference;
       Whereas in 2004, the United Nations Secretary General 
     acknowledged at the first United Nations-sponsored conference 
     on anti-Semitism, that: ``It is clear that we are witnessing 
     an alarming resurgence of this phenomenon in new forms and 
     manifestations. This time, the world must not--cannot--be 
     silent.'';
       Whereas in 2004, the United Nations General Assembly's 
     Third Committee for the first time adopted a resolution on 
     religious tolerance that includes condemnation of anti-
     Semitism and ``recognized with deep concern the overall rise 
     in instances of intolerance and violence directed against 
     members of many religious communities . . . including . . . 
     anti-Semitism . . . '';
       Whereas in 2005, the United Nations held an unprecedented 
     session to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the liberation 
     of the Auschwitz concentration camp;
       Whereas democratic Israel is annually the object of nearly 
     two dozen redundantly critical resolutions in the United 
     Nations General Assembly, which rarely adopts resolutions 
     relating to specific countries; and
       Whereas the viciousness with which Israel is attacked and 
     discriminated against at the United Nations should not be 
     allowed to continue unchallenged: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That--
       (1) the House of Representatives--
       (A) welcomes recent attempts by the United Nations 
     Secretary General to address the issue of anti-Semitism;
       (B) calls on the United Nations to officially and publicly 
     condemn anti-Semitic statements made at all United Nations 
     meetings and hold accountable United Nations member states 
     that make such statements; and
       (C) strongly urges the United Nations Educational, 
     Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to develop and 
     implement education awareness programs about the Holocaust 
     throughout the world as part of an effort to combat the rise 
     in anti-Semitism and racial, religious, and ethnic 
     intolerance; and
       (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that--
       (A) the President should direct the United States Permanent 
     Representative to the United Nations to continue working 
     toward further reduction of anti-Semitic language and anti-
     Israel resolutions;
       (B) the President should direct the Secretary of State to 
     include in the Department of State's annual Country Reports 
     on Human Rights Practices and annual Report on International 
     Religious Freedom information on activities at the United 
     Nations and its constituent bodies relating to anti-Semitism 
     by each of the countries included in these reports; and
       (C) the President should direct the Secretary of State to 
     use projects funded through the Middle East Partnership 
     Initiative and United States overseas broadcasts to educate 
     Arab and Muslim countries about anti-Semitism, religious 
     intolerance, and incitement to violence.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).


                             General Leave

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I would like to thank the leadership, the gentleman from Illinois 
(Mr. Hyde), chairman of the Committee on International Relations, as 
well as the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), our wonderful 
ranking member, for their efforts in bringing to the floor House 
Resolution 282.
  The resolution, Madam Speaker, expresses the sense of the House of 
Representatives regarding manifestations of anti-Semitism by United 
Nations member states and urges action against anti-Semitism by United 
Nations officials, United Nations member states, and the government of 
the United States, and for other purposes.
  My utmost appreciation goes to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos), the ranking member of the Committee on International 
Relations, for his work on this resolution, for his commitment to 
combating the scourge of anti-Semitism, and for being an example of 
courage in the face of the most deplorable anti-Semitic acts. I thank 
the gentleman from California.
  As we prepare to consider U.N. reform legislation, Madam Speaker, 
before the full Committee on International Relations tomorrow, the 
discussion of this measure is timely and it illustrates an important 
component of our multilateral strategies. For far too long, the United 
Nations has permitted itself to be used as a battleground for political 
warfare against Israel led by Arab states and others. Six of the 10 
emergency sessions of the United Nations General Assembly have been 
devoted to criticisms of and attacks against Israel.
  During the 1991 session of the United Nations Commission on Human 
Rights, for example, the Syrian representative to the U.N. repeated the 
outrageous blood libel that Jews have killed Christian and other non-
Jewish children to use their blood to make Matzoth.
  In 1997, another terrible example, the Palestinian observer at the 
Human Rights Commission charged that the Israeli government had 
injected 300 Palestinian children with the HIV virus. This baseless 
charge was not challenged by the president of the Human Rights 
Commission or any other U.N. official.
  Another example, the goals of the 2001 U.N. World Conference Against 
Racism were undermined by hateful anti-Jewish rhetoric and anti-Israel 
political agendas, prompting both Israel and the United States to 
withdraw their delegations from the conference.
  While recent efforts have been made to address this problem, Madam 
Speaker, such as the U.N.-sponsored conference on anti-Semitism or the 
session earlier this year to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 
liberation of Auschwitz, much more needs to be done.
  In response, the resolution before us, Madam Speaker, calls for the 
United Nations to officially and publicly condemn anti-Semitic 
statements in all U.N. meetings and hold accountable member states who 
make such statements.
  It calls for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural 
Organizations, known as UNESCO, to develop and implement Holocaust 
education programs throughout the world as part of an effort to combat 
the rise in anti-Semitism.
  Further, Madam Speaker, it calls for the United States Ambassador to 
the United Nations to continue working toward further reduction of 
anti-Semitic language and anti-Israel resolutions.
  House Resolution 282 requests the Secretary of State to include in 
the Department of State's annual Country Reports on Human Rights 
Practices and annual Report on International Religious Freedom 
information on activities regarding anti-Semitism at U.N. bodies by 
each of the countries included in these reports; and, further, it 
requests that projects under the Middle East Partnership Initiative and 
that U.S. overseas broadcasts include programs that educate Arab and 
Muslim countries about fighting anti-Semitism, about fighting religious 
intolerance and fighting incitement to violence.
  As we have witnessed, historically and in today's world, such charged 
rhetoric as anti-Semitism invites violent action. There must, 
therefore, be renewed vigilance against purveyors of anti-Semitism, and 
the United Nations must be an integral component of any comprehensive 
strategy. It must help build a culture of tolerance. The United Nations 
must hold countries and their representatives accountable. It must make 
hateful rhetoric and incitement politically and culturally 
unacceptable, instead of offering an environment that enables the 
proliferation of anti-Semitism.
  As was noted in a meeting last month with Natan Sharansky, strong 
U.S. leadership in placing human rights front and center on the 
diplomatic agenda has the potential to bring about dramatic political 
and social change. We must be willing to take a similar stance 
regarding anti-Semitism at the United Nations.
  Let us begin by rendering our unequivocal support to this resolution 
and send a clear message to the United Nations and to its member 
countries

[[Page H4154]]

that we are resolute in our commitment to fighting this evil.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, first I want to thank my good friend and 
colleague from Florida for her extraordinarily gracious and generous 
observations.
  Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished Democratic whip.
  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished gentleman 
from California (Mr. Lantos), the ranking Democrat on the Committee on 
International Relations, who does such an extraordinary job and who 
knows firsthand the extraordinarily adverse consequences of racism and 
anti-Semitism and other ``isms'' wrought against human beings.
  I also want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) 
for her sponsorship of this resolution and for her leadership on these 
issues.
  Madam Speaker, intolerance based upon one's religious beliefs, 
ethnicity and race is a poison that has coursed throughout the body of 
human history; and it has caused untold pain, suffering and strife. 
Unfortunately, that is not on the ash bin of history. It is present 
today.
  The Members of this House, the elected representatives of the 
strongest and freest nation on Earth, have a moral responsibility to 
expose and combat such intolerance and prejudice wherever it rears its 
head, whether it rears its head in the United States, in the United 
Nations, or any other place in the world. That is precisely what this 
important resolution seeks to do.
  This resolution calls on the United Nations to officially and 
publicly condemn anti-Semitic statements made at U.N. meetings and by 
U.N. member states. It is to the discredit of the United Nations that 
anti-Semitism continues to find a forum in that body. This resolution 
also calls on the U.N. to create worldwide programs about the Holocaust 
in an effort to reduce anti-Semitism, and it directs the Secretary of 
State to report on anti-Semitic activities by the U.N. and its member 
countries.
  Let me add, Madam Speaker, that last year I strongly supported 
language included in the omnibus appropriation act that directs the 
State Department to report on votes in the General Assembly concerning 
Israel. I regret to inform you, Madam Speaker, that there are nations, 
many nations, indeed the overwhelming majority of nations, who fail to 
support the United States and its positions on Israel more than 10 
percent of the time, the majority of nations in the United Nations.
  The disturbing, undeniable truth, Madam Speaker, is that rank anti-
Semitism continues today in the world body ostensibly dedicated to 
peace, understanding and tolerance.
  Israel, Madam Speaker, is the only member of the U.N. to never have 
served on the Security Council. It is denied the opportunity to serve 
on the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, while well-known human rights 
abusers, Syria, Sudan, Libya and countless others, serial abusers of 
human rights in their own countries, have served on that body. And each 
year, Madam Speaker, Israel is singled out for criticism nearly two 
dozen times in the general assembly, each year, while Sudan, who has 
seen the murder of thousands of people, or Rwanda, millions, or at 
least over a million, receives not the attention that it should.

                              {time}  1500

  Madam Speaker, too many U.N. members believe that they can make anti-
Semitic statements and take anti-Semitic actions with impunity. This 
Nation ought to send a very loud, a very clear, a very definitive 
message that that is not the case. Anti-Semitism is unacceptable in any 
corner of the world, in any forum in the world, but particularly so in 
the forum committed to world peace, to world understanding.
  Members who believe that they can act with impunity are wrong, and 
they must be held accountable. They must know that their anti-Semitic 
statements and actions not only affect their relationship with this 
Nation but also eviscerate their credibility in the family of civilized 
nations.
  Again I congratulate the gentlewoman from Florida and the gentleman 
from California for their leadership, not just on this resolution, 
Madam Speaker, but every day of every week of every month of every year 
because that is what it takes to ensure that anti-Semitism, racism, 
sexism, and every other kind of prejudice and bigotry is rejected in 
this body and in every place that we find men and women of goodwill.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Maryland for his 
powerful and eloquent statement.
  I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I want to begin by 
commending the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) for bringing 
this resolution to the floor today. I also want to thank the 
distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for her 
outstanding leadership on this issue.
  Madam Speaker, it is high time to eradicate a sickening deficiency of 
the United Nations: its pathological persecution of one member, the 
democratic State of Israel, whose performance and standards are vastly 
superior to those of most of its nondemocratic detractors.
  Over the years, the United States has occasionally used diplomacy at 
the United Nations to address this sickness, especially during the 
tenure of our distinguished Ambassadors Daniel Patrick Moynihan and 
Jeanne Kirkpatrick.
  Recently, a renewed spasm of anti-Israeli activism has polluted 
critical United Nations mechanisms such as the General Assembly and the 
so-called Commission on Human Rights.
  Mr. Speaker, one of the most disturbing experiences I personally have 
had during my service as a Member of Congress took place in August of 
2001 when I was a member of the United States delegation to the United 
Nations World Conference against Racism at Durban, South Africa.
  Secretary General Kofi Annan was anxious to use this conference as an 
opportunity to reinvigorate the world community in the fight against 
racism, bigotry, discrimination, and religious and ethnic intolerance. 
But, instead, we witnessed the hijacking of the conference by those who 
turned it into a vile outpouring of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel 
sentiment. This conference was one of the most vicious anti-Semitic 
displays I have seen since I witnessed the Holocaust in Hungary in the 
1940s.
  The draft document presented to the conference included phrases such 
as the ``racist practices of Zionism'' and where the Holocaust had been 
cited as an example of racism taken to extremes, Arab and Muslim states 
proposed replacing it with the term ``holocausts'' in the plural and 
lower case, which was yet another manifestation of propaganda to deny 
and to diminish the unique character of the Holocaust in which 6 
million innocent human beings perished.
  Despite repeated efforts of the United States and some other 
delegations to work with the problematic countries at Durban, South 
Africa, the underlying anti-Semitism, disguised as criticism of Israel, 
could not be resolved; and it was my privilege to lead the walk-out of 
the U.S. delegation from that conference. What could have been an 
important effort to revitalize the fight against racism and intolerance 
was turned into a lost opportunity.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time once and for all for our diplomats to apply 
themselves in a sustained manner to defeating the absurd series of 
anti-Israeli resolutions that continue to crowd the agenda of the 
United Nations, pushing aside long overdue consideration of critical 
issues such as terrorism, AIDS, climate change, poverty, human rights 
abuses, and famine. Our resolution takes note of the efforts of some 
U.N. member countries to delegitimize the State of Israel by denying 
its opportunity to participate in U.N. organizations including the 
Security Council and the Human Rights Commission. It also notes that 
the United Nations has been used to attack the State of Israel. For 
example, of the emergency sessions of the General Assembly that have 
been called, six of the 10 were devoted solely to attacks against the 
State of Israel.

[[Page H4155]]

  Our resolution, Mr. Speaker, commends recent examples of outstanding 
leadership in the fight against anti-Semitism. I want to single out 
Secretary General Kofi Annan, who led the effort to call an 
unprecedented special session of the General Assembly this past January 
to mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz 
concentration camp during World War II.
  At that special session, Kofi Annan said, ``The United Nations must 
never forget that it was created as a response to the evil of Nazism, 
or that the horror of the Holocaust helped to shape its mission. That 
response is enshrined in our Charter and in the Universal Declaration 
of Human Rights. Such an evil must never be allowed to happen again. We 
must be on the watch for any revival of anti-Semitism and ready to act 
against the new forms of it that are happening today.'' From Secretary 
General Kofi Annan.
  Mr. Speaker, our resolution urges the member states of the United 
Nations and our own government to step up the fight against anti-
Semitism, religious intolerance, and incitement to violence. In keeping 
with the original mission and the enduring vision of the United Nations 
as a beacon for humanity's potential at its best, I strongly urge all 
of my colleagues to support our resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Lantos) and ask unanimous consent that he be 
permitted to control that time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bishop of Utah). Is there objection to 
the request of the gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her usual 
gracious, generous gesture.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Cardin).
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Lantos) for his leadership on this issue and so many other issues 
that are important to human rights around the world, and the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for her leadership on the 
committee and in bringing this resolution forward and dealing with 
human rights issues in the Middle East.
  I also want to identify myself with the statements made by my 
colleagues, including the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
  The rise of anti-Semitism globally is undisputable and it is 
unacceptable. As the ranking Democrat on the Helsinki Commission, I 
have worked with the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), our 
chairman, to bring up anti-Semitism and fighting anti-Semitism as one 
of the highest priorities of our Helsinki Commission. I am pleased that 
as a result of the priority of our delegation, we are now having our 
third international meeting on anti-Semitism. That will be taking place 
this week in Spain.
  In the second meeting that took place in Berlin, we were able to come 
out with a Berlin document, a declaration which stated unequivocally 
the condemnation by all 55 countries in the Organization for Security 
and Cooperation in Europe to condemn anti-Semitism and develop an 
action plan to fight anti-Semitism. It deals with law enforcement and 
sensitizing law enforcement. It deals with educating our children in 
Holocaust education. It deals with respect and understanding of people 
who have different religious beliefs.
  Mr. Speaker, it is very wrong when individuals commit anti-Semitic 
actions. It is even worse when it is sponsored by a government or by 
international organizations. For that reason, Mr. Speaker, I am very 
pleased that we have the resolution before us today that speaks to the 
United Nations and to the actions within the United Nations. It must 
clean up its act in regards to its actions of discrimination and anti-
Semitism. It is unacceptable, and this resolution speaks to that. And I 
urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 282, regarding 
manifestations of anti-Semitism by United Nations member states, and 
urging action against anti-Semitism by United Nations officials. We 
must not allow anti-Semitism to become a part of the leading 
international organization that proclaims ``the inherent dignity and 
equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the 
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world''.
  I commend the International Relations Committee for acting on this 
resolution condemning the resurgence of anti-Semitism around the globe. 
As Ranking Member of the Helsinki Commission, I believe we must 
recognize that despite great achievements with respect to human rights 
around the world, much more can still be done.
  The history of anti-Semitism is indisputable. Today, though, I want 
to discuss trend of a growth of anti-Semitism throughout the world 
today.
  In the last Congress, to address this new wave of discrimination, I 
was pleased to join with Congressman Lantos and Helsinki Commission 
Chairman Chris Smith in working to enact the Global Anti-Semitism 
Review Act of 2004. The State Department then issued its first-ever 
global report on anti-Semitism, giving us a roadmap to build upon for 
the future.
  Last year I traveled as part of the U.S. Delegation of the Helsinki 
Commission, with former Secretary of State Colin Powell, to attend a 
special conference in Berlin addressing anti-Semitism, held under the 
auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
(OSCE). During the course of the trip I went to visit Auschwitz for the 
first time. That factory of death reaffirmed to me how we must 
tirelessly work to build understanding and respect between different 
communities to prevent future acts prejudice, discrimination, and 
ultimately violence.
  At the Berlin Conference, I gave the official U.S. statement in the 
session on tolerance, and the meeting ended with the issuance of the 
Berlin Declaration of Action. The Declaration laid out a number of 
specific steps for states to take to combat the rising tide of anti-
Semitism, including specific actions regarding Holocaust education, 
data collection and monitoring of hate crimes against Jews, and 
improved coordination between non-governmental organizations and 
European law enforcement agencies.
  As the leading international organization in the world, the United 
Nations must make it clear that anti-Semitism has no place within its 
walls. It must condemn anti-Semitic statements made at all meetings and 
hold accountable the United Nations member states that make such 
statements. This is the first step of many that will discourage anti-
Semitic sentiment from having any place with United Nations members.
  Unfortunately, the United Nations has a long history of failing to 
aggressively combat instances of anti-Semitism within its institution. 
In 1975, the U.N. General Assembly concluded that ``Zionism is a form 
of racism and racial discrimination,'' and this resolution was not 
revoked until 1991, after strong leadership from the U.S., and Israel's 
refusal to participate in the Madrid Peace Conference unless the 
resolution was repealed.
  Until the year 2000, Israel was denied membership in any regional 
grouping of the United Nations. It continues to be denied the 
opportunity to hold a rotating seat on the Security Council, making it 
the only member to have never served on the Security Council despite 
being a member of the UN for 56 years. Lastly, Israel continues to be 
denied the opportunity to serve as a member of the United Nations 
Commission on Human Rights. These anti-Israeli actions must cease if we 
are serious about stopping anti-Semitism.
  However, I am glad to note that the United Nations Secretary General 
has recently spoken out on the issue of anti-Semitism. In addition, in 
2004 the General Assembly's Third Committee adopted a resolution on 
religious tolerance for the first time, which states in part its ``deep 
concern the overall rise in instances of intolerance and violence 
directed against members of many religious community . . . including . 
. . anti-Semitism.'' As Israeli President Moshe Katsav reminded us at 
our Berlin conference last year, anti-Semitism should indeed receive 
special attention from the civilized world.
  While I welcome these recent steps forward, the United Nations still 
has a long way to go to combat anti-Semitism. As this resolution 
states, we must implement awareness programs about the Holocaust 
throughout the world. This will promote more than just tolerance; it 
will help the world to achieve racial, religious, cultural, and ethnic 
acceptance and diversity, leading to a more peaceful and just society.
  This resolution also requests that the United States Permanent 
Representative to the United Nations continue working toward further 
reduction of anti-Semitic language and anti-Israel resolutions. It also 
asks the Department of State to include information on activities at 
the United Nations relating to anti-Semitism in its reports on Human 
Rights Practices and International Religious Freedom. Finally, it asks 
the Secretary of State to fund projects

[[Page H4156]]

that educate Arab and Muslim countries about religious intolerance.
  We must combat this rising tide of anti-Semitism in all of its forms, 
and ensure that it has no place anywhere in the world, especially the 
United Nations. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega), my good friend and a 
very important member of the Committee on International Relations.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to again thank the gentleman 
from California, our senior ranking member, for yielding me this time 
to say a few words concerning this resolution.
  I also want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida representing the 
majority and especially the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) for 
his support and leadership in getting this resolution to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, in my visit to the Holocaust Museum here in our Nation's 
capital, I always come away with this great lesson that I learned about 
the suffering of some 6 million Jews in that terrible period during 
Nazi rule by Adolph Hitler. The words that come to my mind every time I 
visit that museum are the words ``never again.'' ``Never again.'' And I 
cannot help but express my sense of gratitude to the gentleman from 
California, not only as a child of the terrible conflict that occurred 
to his family but certainly who has been a great teacher and a mentor 
to me in understanding and appreciating what racism and bigotry and 
hatred is. And the fact that he has had to live that in his own life 
and has certainly been a great champion not only of the issues 
affecting the good people of the State of Israel, I want to thank the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for being that leader whom I 
admire and respect very much.
  Mr. Speaker, the provisions of the resolution speaks for itself. It 
is time for the United Nations to give serious attention to this 
problem. Year after year, the only democratic government in the Middle 
East has been ostracized, condemned, vilified, falsely accused of so 
many things. I simply say, enough is enough, Mr. Speaker. I sincerely 
hope that copies of this resolution will be served to every ambassador 
from every country represented in the United Nations.

                              {time}  1515

  We will let them know that the will of the Congress is expressly 
stated to this effect in the provisions of the resolution, that enough 
is enough.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for his eloquent and strong 
statement.
  Mr. Speaker, let me just say that this resolution reflects the values 
of this body and of the American people, and I urge all of my 
colleagues to vote for it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would just like to thank our wonderful friend, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), for his leadership on this 
resolution, as well as the chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Hyde). I urge all of our colleagues to adopt this resolution today.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I am speaking today in strong support of 
the resolution regarding the manifestations of anti-Semitism by United 
Nations member states.
  I would like to praise Ms. Ros-Lehtinen for her tireless efforts as 
the chair of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia. Her 
commitment to fighting anti-Semitism is unparalleled and she has raised 
awareness of the issue both within the United Nations and throughout 
the world.
  The state of Israel ardently strives to attain equality of rights 
which the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights recognizes as the 
best hope for freedom throughout the world.
  However, the past actions of many United Nations member states have 
challenged this equality through many of their anti-Semitic 
resolutions, actions, and statements.
  The regular manifestations of this blatant anti-Semitism occur 
throughout the course of the United Nation's history. Included in these 
acts are statements by members of the United Nations Commission on 
Human Rights, those individuals who should be acting upon anti-Semitism 
rather than participating in it.
  I commend the UN for increasing awareness in the past few years of 
anti-Semitism and refusing to remain silent on this growing global 
problem. The recent session commemorating the 60th anniversary of the 
liberation of Auschwitz marks a keystone in the United Nations' efforts 
to promote awareness of anti-Semitism.
  Nevertheless, members states annually remain critical of Israel and 
refuse to allow Israel equal rights and opportunities within the United 
Nations. Israel should have the same chance to participate in the 
United Nations, rather than be ignored by those states which would seek 
to spread hateful anti-Jewish and anti-Israel agendas.
  I believe that the United Nations should implement measures which: 
Publicly condemn those United Nations member states who make anti-
Semitic and racial remarks, hold those same member states who make 
anti-Semitic remarks accountable, and promote awareness of anti-
Semitism.
  The United States must take a firm stand on this issue today. We must 
declare that neglecting the problem of anti-Semitism is unacceptable.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 282, which 
calls on the President to take steps to stem the ugly tide of anti-
Semitism at the United Nations and in the Middle East.
  The hijacking of the United Nations by some member states is an 
attack against international peace and the founding principles of the 
U.N. The use of blood libels by representatives of member states, in 
reports, and by NGOs, is unacceptable and a betrayal of the U.N.'s 
mission.
  The U.N. is robbed of its moral authority when member states hijack 
it for illicit purposes. Slandering an entire people, their aspirations 
for self-determination, and their homeland, is not acceptable. 
Excluding a member state from the community of nations because of 
ancient hatreds and slanders is unworthy of an organization founded to 
promote world peace and end human suffering.
  Holding one nation to a standard no other nation is held to is, 
whether people wish to admit it or not, bigotry at its worst. No other 
nation would be denounced for taking steps to protect its citizens from 
acts of terror aimed intentionally at civilians. No nation has 
exercised as much restraint as Israel, yet no nation has been subjected 
to condemnation, indeed vilification and demonization, including those 
countries that practice slavery, torture, and genocide, some of whom 
have been privileged to sit on the United Nations Commission on Human 
Rights--a right denied to Israel in the more than half-century it has 
been a member.
  Mr. Speaker, the United Nations is only as strong and decent as its 
member nations. That is both its greatest strength and its greatest 
weakness. When the nations of the world stand by, or worse, participate 
in, the vilification of the Jewish people, it is a reflection not just 
on the institution, but on the failings of its members.
  I believe it is time for the President to do more to press the U.N., 
and its member states, to bring an end to institutionalized anti-
Semitism. It is not enough to criticize the U.N. It is not enough to 
denounce anti-Semitism.
  This administration must exert pressure on those countries that have 
gotten a pass on their efforts both in the U.N. and in other forums. 
Countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who distort the mission of the 
U.N., must be held to account for their actions.
  The United Nations is capable of good and important work, in the 
eradication of disease, in alleviating poverty. It can and should do 
more, but it can never live up to its potential and its mission unless 
it sheds the stain of anti-Semitism.
  The United States must take the lead in this important effort. I 
support this resolution. I hope that the President heeds its message 
and does what he must do to end the bitter reign of anti-Semitism at 
the U.N.
  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my colleagues in 
support of House resolution 282 and encourage members of the 
International community to continue to aggressively condemn anti-
Semitic actions and statements.
  For over sixty years, world history and international perspectives 
have been shaped by the painful reminders of the events of World War 
II. Blind eyes could not hide the effect racism had during the 
Holocaust that affected millions of Jewish men, women and children. And 
now, many years later, I join with others to continue to remind the 
world community to resist the small seeds of hate that once led to the 
attempted annihilation of an entire race of people.

[[Page H4157]]

  More now than ever, we must all take a proactive stance against views 
that promote racial, religious and ethnic intolerance. America's past 
is certainly imperfect. However, the lessons of the past remind us that 
through these imperfections we were able to unite and build alliances 
that promoted a stronger and wiser nation. I now call upon the 
International community to also build alliances and word for peace by 
actively condemning the increasing culture of anti-Semitic views and 
religious intolerance.
  Mr. WEINER. Mr. Speaker, today the House of Representatives voted to 
urge the United Nations to take bold action against anti-Semitism and 
anti-Israel sentiment. I commend my colleagues for keeping the U.N.'s 
feet to the fire on an issue of such great importance. And I thank 
Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen for introducing this bill and for her 
continued vigilance in support of America's greatest ally in the Middle 
East.
  The U.N. is supposed to be a neutral authority working towards global 
unity. But in fact, it has helped the enemies of Israel 
internationalize their war against the Jewish state.
  Many people know about the 1975 U.N. resolution equating Zionism with 
racism. Sadly, that is only 1 of the 322 resolutions condemning Israel 
that the U.N. has passed since 1948.
  The U.N. issued Resolution 476 in 1980 declaring Israel's claim to 
Jerusalem ``null and void.'' It passed Resolution 487 in 1981 to 
``strongly condemn'' Israel for its attack on Iraq's nuclear facility. 
And in 2003, the U.N. condemned Israel for building its security 
fences. These are the same fences that have cut suicide bombings by 75% 
and Israeli fatalities by 55%.
  The U.N. is routinely silent on deadly suicide attacks--like the 
Hamas Passover massacre that killed 30 people at an Israeli hotel. But 
it will loudly condemn Israel for its military response to such terror. 
Remarkably, the U.N.'s balance sheet defends countries like Lebanon, 
Iraq, and Syria, while attacking Israel as a regional aggressor.
  This imbalance is unreasonable. But it is hardly the U.N.'s worst 
masquerading. The U.N. pretends to give a voice to all countries. But 
when it comes to offering countries a seat on the Security Council, 
only Israel is barred.
  And while 4 of the 7 stage sponsors of terror--Cuba, Libya, Sudan, 
and Syria--are members of the U.N. Human Rights Commission, Israel 
cannot even be a candidate. The commission spends 26% of its 
resolutions condemning Israel, yet Israel doesn't even have a forum to 
respond.
  The news gets worse. The U.N. has decided that its Commission on 
Human Rights is good enough for all the world's refugees, except the 
Palestinians. They get their own organization--the U.N. Relief Works 
Agency (UNRWA).
  And instead of being resettled like the rest of the world's 20 
million refugees, the Palestinians are kept in camps. It is no surprise 
that the result has been a breeding ground for violence. More than 48 
terrorist operatives have been educated in UNRWA schools. And this past 
January, the head of UNRWA acknowledged that members of Hamas are on 
his payroll. Since 1950, UNRWA has been bad for Israelis and 
Palestinians alike, and it is time the U.N. took responsibility for 
solving the problem.
  Earlier this year, Kofi Annan made a move towards accountability by 
publicly outlining a series of proposed U.N. reforms. Some of the 
suggested shakeups of discredited U.N. bodies like the Human Rights 
Commission are steps in the right direction. But it is hard to trust a 
Secretary General who spent part of a trip to the Middle East placing a 
wreath on Yasser Arafat's grave. And even harder to overlook 50 years 
of U.N. antagonism against Israel.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 282, which 
expresses the sense of the House of Representatives regarding 
manifestations of anti-Semitism by United Nations member states and 
urges action against anti-Semitism by United Nations officials, United 
Nations member states, and the Government of the United States.
  As we commemorate the invasion of Normandy this week, it is important 
to remember that the evil the world was fighting then persists today. 
Recent accounts of anti-Semitic assaults are reminiscent of those 
encountered before and during World War II. In the suburbs of Antwerp, 
Belgium, four youths were assaulted on their way home from their Jewish 
school by a group of men yelling anti-Semitic insults. One of the 
students was stabbed and seriously injured. In Toulon, France a 
synagogue and a community center were set on fire. In Dusseldorf, 
Germany, an ancient Jewish cemetery was desecrated with swastikas and 
SS symbols. In the United Kingdom, a Jewish woman was beaten severely 
by three of her neighbors because her mail was written in Hebrew, and 
they suspected her of being Israeli.
  The United Nations and the international community must act swiftly 
and address this immediate threat. The United Nations and world leaders 
must shake themselves out of indifference and rise above political 
considerations that have blinded them to the magnitude of rising anti-
Semitic assaults. The international community must remember its 
commitment to prevent a recurrence of horrors the world witnessed 60 
years ago and take meaningful actions to combat this rise in anti-
Semitism.
  In the last few years, the United Nations and Secretary General Kofi 
Annan have begun to formally recognize and address this rise in anti-
Semitism. Just last year, the United Nations sponsored a conference on 
anti-Semitism and for the first time the United Nations General 
Assembly's Third Committee adopted a resolution that condemns anti-
Semitism.
  Although these recent actions by the United Nations are positive 
steps, I believe that the United Nations must do more to combat this 
evil. The United Nations should first begin within its own organization 
and end the practice of tolerating hateful rhetoric. The United Nations 
must go further in condemning member nations and United Nations 
officials that use anti-Semitic language. Additionally, the United 
Nations should acknowledge the detrimental effects of anti-Israel 
resolutions and work towards reducing their frequency.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation and to 
remain committed to combating the evil of anti-Semitism.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bishop of Utah). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that 
the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 282.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________