[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 3 (Thursday, January 8, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 10--RECOGNIZING THE RIGHT OF ISRAEL TO DEFEND ITSELF 
  AGAINST ATTACKS FROM GAZA AND REAFFIRMING THE UNITED STATES' STRONG 
    SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL IN ITS BATTLE WITH HAMAS, AND SUPPORTING THE 
                   ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE PROCESS

  Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Lugar, Mr. 
Durbin, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Levin, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Hatch, 
Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Bond, Mr. Schumer, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. 
Thune, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Martinez, Ms. 
Mikulski, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Casey, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. 
Carper, Mr. Baucas, Mr. Bayh. Mr. Johanns, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Brown, and 
Mr. Cardin) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 
and agreed to:

                               S. Res. 10

       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
       Resolved, 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.

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