[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 150 (Wednesday, December 10, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H9016-H9017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    DENOUNCING USE OF CIVILIANS AS HUMAN SHIELDS BY HAMAS AND OTHER 
                        TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 107) denouncing 
the use of civilians as human shields by Hamas and other terrorist 
organizations in violation of international humanitarian law, with 
Senate amendments thereto, and concur in the Senate amendments.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the Senate amendments.
  The Clerk read as follows:
  Senate amendments:

       Strike the preamble and insert the following:
       Whereas the use of human shields is unconscionable and 
     morally unacceptable;
       Whereas since June 15, 2014, there have been over 2,000 
     rockets fired by Hamas and other terrorist organizations from 
     Gaza into Israel;
       Whereas Hamas uses civilian populations as human shields by 
     placing their missile batteries in densely populated areas 
     and near schools, hospitals, and mosques;
       Whereas Israel dropped leaflets, made announcements, placed 
     phone calls, and sent text messages to the Palestinian people 
     in Gaza warning them in advance that an attack was imminent, 
     and went to extraordinary lengths to target only terrorist 
     actors and to minimize collateral damage;
       Whereas Hamas urged the residents of Gaza to ignore the 
     Israeli warnings and to remain in their houses and encouraged 
     Palestinians to gather on the roofs of their homes to act as 
     human shields;
       Whereas on July 23, 2014, the 46-Member UN Human Rights 
     Council passed a resolution to form a commission of inquiry 
     over Israel's operations in Gaza that completely fails to 
     condemn Hamas for its indiscriminate rocket attacks and its 
     unconscionable use of human shields, with the United States 
     being the lone dissenting vote;
       Whereas public reports have cited the role of Iran and 
     Syria in providing material support and training to Hamas and 
     other terrorist groups carrying out rocket and mortar attacks 
     from Gaza;
       Whereas throughout the summer of 2006 conflict between the 
     State of Israel and the terrorist organization Hezbollah, 
     Hezbollah forces utilized innocent civilians as human 
     shields;
       Whereas al Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, Islamic State of Iraq and the 
     Levant (ISIL), and other foreign terrorist organizations 
     typically use innocent civilians as human shields;
       Whereas the United States and Israel have cooperated on 
     missile defense projects, including Iron Dome, David's Sling, 
     and the Arrow Anti-Missile System, projects designed to 
     thwart a diverse range of threats, including short-range 
     missiles and rockets fired by non-state actors, such as 
     Hamas;
       Whereas the United States provided $460,000,000 in fiscal 
     year 2014 for Iron Dome research, development, and 
     production;
       Whereas during the most recent rocket attacks from Gaza, 
     Iron Dome successfully intercepted dozens of rockets that 
     were launched against Israeli population centers; and
       Whereas 5,000,000 Israelis are currently living under the 
     threat of rocket attacks from Gaza: Now, therefore, be it
       Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
     following:
     That Congress--
       (1) strongly condemns the use of innocent civilians as 
     human shields;
       (2) calls on the international community to recognize and 
     condemn Hamas' use of human shields;
       (3) places responsibility for the rocket attacks against 
     Israel on Hamas and other terrorist organizations, such as 
     Palestine Islamic Jihad;
       (4) supports the sovereign right of the Government of 
     Israel to defend its territory and its citizens from Hamas' 
     rocket attacks, kidnapping attempts, and the use of tunnels 
     and other means to carry out attacks against Israel;
       (5) expresses condolences to the families of the innocent 
     victims on both sides of the conflict;
       (6) supports Palestinian civilians who reject Hamas and all 
     forms of terrorism and violence, desiring to live in peace 
     with their Israeli neighbors;
       (7) supports efforts to demilitarize the Gaza Strip, 
     removing Hamas's means to target Israel, including its use of 
     tunnels, rockets, and other means; and
       (8) condemns the United Nations Human Rights Council's 
     biased resolution establishing a commission of inquiry into 
     Israel's Gaza operations.
         Amend the title so as to read: ``A concurrent resolution 
     denouncing the use of civilians as human shields by Hamas and 
     other terrorist organizations.''.

  Mr. ROYCE (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
to dispense with the reading of the amendments.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.

[[Page H9017]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the original request 
of the gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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