[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 13, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H1083-H1087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HAMAS HUMAN SHIELDS PREVENTION ACT
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3542) to impose sanctions against Hamas
for gross violations of internationally recognized human rights by
reason of the use of civilians as human shields, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3542
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Hamas Human Shields
Prevention Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The international law of armed conflict prohibits,
during any armed conflict, the exploitation of the presence
of civilians, or movement of civilians, in an effort to
impede attack on or otherwise shield lawful targets from
attack.
(2) Violation of this obligation is commonly referred to as
using persons as ``human shields'', the unlawful exploitation
of civilian persons or property in an attempt to impede
attack on or otherwise shield lawful targets from attack.
(3) The international law of armed conflict also prohibits
exposing prisoners of war, other detainees, or the wounded
and sick to unnecessary risks resulting from the conduct of
hostilities, which clearly includes a prohibition against
using such personnel in an effort to impede attack on or
otherwise shield lawful targets from attack.
(4) Under the international law of armed conflict, the use
of human shields is a critical consideration when assessing
whether infliction of civilian harm by a party to the
conflict was in fact unreasonable under the circumstances.
(5) Throughout the violent takeover of Gaza by Hamas in
2007, the organization engaged in summary executions and
torture, and put the lives of civilians at constant risk.
(6) Since that 2007 takeover of Gaza, Hamas forces have
repeatedly fired rockets into Israel in an indiscriminate
manner, routinely striking civilian population areas that
cannot plausibly be considered lawful military targets.
(7) Hamas attacks are routinely launched from firing
positions in areas of dense civilian population, often in or
near schools, mosques, or hospitals, with no plausible
justification based on military necessity.
(8) Unlawful Hamas tactics also include routinely forcing
Palestinian civilians to gather on the roofs of their homes
to act as human shields.
(9) Because these Hamas tactics cannot be justified by
military necessity, they indicate an effort to endanger both
Israeli and Palestinian civilians.
(10) The Israel Defense Force, in response to such serious
violations by Hamas, has vigorously taken all feasible
precautions to
[[Page H1084]]
minimize civilian casualties and protect civilian objects, in
accordance with the international laws of armed conflict.
Such tactics have included providing warnings to civilians
when feasible.
(11) Since 2010, Hamas has enlisted children to work as
laborers in the tunnel networks between Gaza and Egypt.
(12) On June 9, 2017, the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency announced it had discovered Hamas tunnels under two of
its schools in the Gaza Strip, adding it was ``unacceptable
that students and staff are placed at risk in such a way''.
(13) Hamas was designated as a foreign terrorist
organization by the Secretary of State on October 8, 1997.
(14) In addition to Hamas, other armed groups, such as
Hezbollah, the Islamic State, al-Qa'ida, and al-Shabaab,
typically use civilians as human shields.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It shall be the policy of the United States to--
(1) officially and publicly condemn Hamas for violating the
international law of armed conflict by exploiting civilians,
civilian property, and other specially protected personnel
and facilities, in an effort to shield military targets from
lawful attack; and
(2) take effective action against those knowingly engaging
in, supporting, facilitating, or enabling such undisputed
violations of international law through the use of human
shields.
SEC. 4. UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL.
The President should direct the United States Permanent
Representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote,
and influence of the United States at the United Nations
Security Council to secure support for a resolution that
would--
(1) impose multilateral sanctions against Hamas for the use
of human shields;
(2) require member nations to take specific steps to
prevent the use of human shields and impose consequences on
those who use human shields;
(3) require the United Nations to track and report the use
of human shields in any conflict monitored by an organization
or agency of the United Nations; and
(4) specify steps to prevent, and consequences for, the use
of United Nations employees as human shields or the use of
United Nations facilities or infrastructure to enable the use
of civilians as human shields.
SEC. 5. SANCTIONS ON FOREIGN PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR GROSS
VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED HUMAN
RIGHTS.
(a) In General.--The President shall impose sanctions
described in subsection (c) with respect to each person on
the list required under subsection (b).
(b) List.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the President shall transmit to
the appropriate congressional committees a list of the
following:
(A) Each foreign person that the President determines--
(i) is a member of Hamas or is acting on behalf of Hamas;
and
(ii) on or after the date of the enactment of this Act,
knowingly orders, controls, or otherwise directs or is
complicit in, any unlawful attempt to use civilians, civilian
property, or other protected persons to shields military
objectives from lawful attack.
(B) Each foreign person, or each agency or instrumentality
of a foreign state, that the President determines has
knowingly, on or after the date of the enactment of this
Act--
(i) significantly facilitated, directly or indirectly, any
act described in subparagraph (A)(ii) by a person described
in subparagraph (A)(ii); or
(ii) attempted to facilitate or support any such person.
(2) Updates.--The President shall transmit to the
appropriate congressional committees an update of the list
required under paragraph (1)--
(A) not later than one year after the date of transmission
of such list, and annually thereafter for 3 years; and
(B) as new information becomes available.
(c) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions to be imposed on a
foreign person or an agency or instrumentality of a foreign
state on the list required under subsection (b) are the
following:
(1) Blocking of property.--The President shall exercise all
of the powers granted to the President under the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701
et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all
transactions in property and interests in property of the
foreign person or of such agency or instrumentality of a
foreign state if such property or interests in property are
in the United States, come within the United States, or are
or come within the possession or control of a United States
person.
(2) Aliens ineligible for visas, admission, or parole.--
(A) Visas, admission, or parole.--An alien who the
Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or
a designee of either such Secretary) determines is a foreign
person on the list required under subsection (b) is--
(i) inadmissible to the United States;
(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to
enter the United States; and
(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into
the United States or to receive any other benefit under the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(B) Current visas revoked.--
(i) In general.--Any visa or other documentation issued to
an alien who is a foreign person on the list required under
subsection (b), regardless of when such visa or other
documentation was issued, shall be revoked and such alien
shall be denied admission to the United States.
(ii) Effect of revocation.--A revocation under clause (i)--
(I) shall take effect immediately; and
(II) shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or
documentation that is in the possession of the alien who is
the subject of such revocation.
(C) Exception to comply with united nations headquarters
agreement.--The sanctions under this paragraph shall not be
imposed on an individual if admitting such individual to the
United States is necessary to permit the United States to
comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the
United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and
entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United
Nations and the United States, or with other applicable
international agreements.
(d) Waiver.--The President may, on a case-by-case basis,
waive the application of a sanction under this section with
respect to a person or an agency or instrumentality of a
foreign state for periods not longer than 180 days if the
President certifies to the appropriate congressional
committees that such waiver is in the national security
interest of the United States.
(e) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections
(b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to any
person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to
violate, or causes a violation of any regulation promulgated
to carry out this section to the same extent that such
penalties apply to a person that commits an unlawful act
described in section 206(a) of such Act.
(f) Regulations.--
(1) In general.--The President may exercise all authorities
provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702
and 1704) for purposes of carrying out this section.
(2) Issuance of regulations.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall
prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to implement
this section.
(g) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be
construed--
(1) to limit the authorities of the President pursuant to
the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C.
1701 et seq.) or any other relevant provision of law; or
(2) to apply with respect to any activity subject to the
reporting requirements under title V of the National Security
Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.), or to any authorized
intelligence activities of the United States.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Admitted; alien.--The terms ``admitted'' and ``alien''
have the meanings given such terms in section 101 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101).
(2) Agency or instrumentality of a foreign state.--The term
``agency or instrumentality of a foreign state'' has the
meaning given such term in section 1603(b) of title 28,
United States Code.
(3) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on
Ways and Means, the Committee on the Judiciary and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives;
and
(B) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs,
the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate.
(4) Foreign person.--The term ``foreign person'' has the
meaning given such term in section 594.304 of title 31, Code
of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(5) Hamas.--The term ``Hamas'' means--
(A) the entity known as Hamas and designated by the
Secretary of State as a foreign terrorist organization
pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); or
(B) any person identified as an agent, instrumentality, or
affiliate of Hamas on the list of specially designated
nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of
Foreign Asset Control of the Department of Treasury, the
property or interests in property of which are blocked
pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
(50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).
(6) United states person.--The term ``United States
person'' has the meaning given such term in section 594.315
of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the
date of the enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Mooney of West Virginia). Pursuant to
the rule, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) and the
gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina.
General Leave
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members may have 5 legislative
[[Page H1085]]
days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous
material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from South Carolina?
There was no objection.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the coauthor of this legislation and a
good friend, Congressman Seth Moulton from Massachusetts, a valued Iraq
veteran; as well as the original cosponsors, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen and Congressman Ted Deutch. I also appreciate Chairman Ed
Royce and the House Foreign Affairs Committee for allowing it to
proceed to a floor vote.
H.R. 3542, the Hamas Human Shields Prevention Act, will sanction
Hamas for violating human rights standards by using civilians as human
shields.
For far too long, Hamas has taken shelter and launched offenses
against Israel from civilian areas, including schools, hospitals, and
mosques. Their cowardly actions knowingly and carelessly put innocent
lives at risk and are a gross violation of human rights and
international law.
Last June, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA,
discovered Hamas tunnels under two of its schools in Gaza,
demonstrating how they knowingly integrate terrorist operations with
children in civilian areas.
Sadly, the Iranians and Hamas are willing to fight to the last
Palestinian man, woman, and child in their quest to annihilate the
people of Israel. Yet neither Hamas nor Iran have been properly held
accountable by responsible nations for their crimes against humanity.
Unfortunately, the prior U.S. administration never raised this as a
serious issue with the Iranians. The cowardly Iranians and Hamas
sacrifice innocent Palestinians for their self-destructive ideology.
The world must face the threat of Hamas as it continues to perpetrate
atrocities against civilians by using them as human shields. This
legislation imposes direct sanctions against any Hamas terrorist who is
responsible for using human shields.
This bill, Hamas Human Shields Prevention Act, encourages the U.S.
Permanent Representative to the United Nations to secure a U.N.
Security Council multilateral resolution imposing sanctions against
Hamas for the use of human shields. It would also sanction foreign
governments and individuals who provide material and financial support
to Hamas, which would cut off the resources that allow Hamas to
terrorize civilians.
I appreciate that Ambassador Nikki Haley has been outspoken against
the murderous terrorists in the global war on terrorism. I believe this
legislation will promote working to ensure that lives of innocent
civilians of the citizens of Gaza are spared by proactively imposing
strong sanctions against Hamas and their murderous actions.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, February 7, 2018.
Hon. Edward R. Royce,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Royce: I write with respect to H.R. 3542, the
``Hamas Human Shields Prevention Act.'' As a result of your
having consulted with us on provisions within H.R. 3542 that
fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on the
Judiciary, I forego any further consideration of this bill so
that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for
consideration.
The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual
understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 3542 at
this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject
matter contained in this or similar legislation and that our
committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as
this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may
address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our
committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an
appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate
conference involving this or similar legislation and asks
that you support any such request.
I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming
this understanding with respect to H.R. 3542 and would ask
that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be
included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration of the bill.
Sincerely,
Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, February 7, 2018.
Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Goodlatte: Thank you for consulting with the
Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from
further consideration of H.R. 3542, the Hamas Human Shields
Prevention Act, so that the bill may proceed expeditiously to
the House floor.
I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure
does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of
your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this bill or similar legislation in the future. I would
support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate
number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate
conference on this legislation.
I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 3542 into the
Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill.
I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and
look forward to continuing to work together as this measure
moves through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Edward R. Royce,
Chairman.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3542, the Hamas Human Shields
Prevention Act.
Mr. Speaker, this is an act that came before our committee and was
adopted unanimously by voice vote. I was there. My hearing has been
tested recently, and there was not one dissenting voice. I thank
Representatives Wilson and Moulton for their leadership in authoring
the Hamas Human Shields Prevention Act, and I am proud to be a
cosponsor.
This legislation calls out the cowardly use of human shields by Hamas
and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It sanctions anyone who supports or
takes part in this horrific practice.
Let us be perfectly clear about what is at stake. There are
designated terrorist entities using innocent civilians, even innocent
children, as a means to camouflage their arsenals. Every time Hamas
does this, every time it is done by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the
leadership is making a horrific statement: they put a higher value on
their efforts to kill Israeli civilians than they do on the lives of
Gaza's civilians.
Keep in mind, this practice is a violation of the Geneva Conventions
and the rules and laws of war. It is a war crime and should, indeed, be
sanctioned by the United Nations.
First and foremost, this is an issue of basic human rights. Hamas has
forced civilians to gather on the roofs of their homes so they can hide
terrorist military leaders and weapons below. Hamas has even built
their tunnels that they use to move weapons and fighters right under
civilian infrastructure. This puts hospitals, schools, mosques,
markets, and innocent Palestinians at great risk.
It doesn't stop there. Hamas purposely puts rockets in U.N.
facilities, compelling the U.N. to launch daily inspections of each of
their facilities during times of heightened tension and putting
international personnel in harm's way.
Hamas' use of human shields also raises important national security
concerns for Israel. Unlike Palestinian terrorist groups--groups that
seek to kill as many Israeli civilians as possible--in contrast with
that, the Israeli Defense Forces are not blind and cannot be blind to
the plight of innocent civilians.
That is why the Israeli Government has tried to warn Palestinian
civilians of upcoming strikes, including evacuation notices, text
messages and calls, and even low-explosive warning ``knocks.'' These
warnings don't just give innocent civilians the opportunity to
evacuate. They also put the terrorists on notice that strikes are
imminent, giving them an opportunity to escape.
The Israeli Government has made an explicit decision. They care
enough about warning and saving the lives of Palestinian civilians that
they are willing to give an advantage to terrorist groups--groups who
are trying to kill as many Israeli civilians as they possibly can.
The contrast, therefore, is astounding. While Israel has made bold
investments in early warning apps on Israeli phones and developed the
Iron Dome, along with the United States, to protect Israeli civilians
from incoming
[[Page H1086]]
missiles, Hamas makes no effort to protect Gaza civilians and engages
in activities designed to cause Gaza civilians to be killed.
Hamas puts innocent civilians in the line of fire. They hide their
weapons and their leadership beneath schools and hospitals. Then, when
Gaza children die, when innocent men and women are blown apart, Hamas'
leadership cheers quietly at what they perceive as a propaganda coup
against the Israeli Defense Forces.
That is why I support sanctions against Hamas and any of its
supporting organizations and individuals that facilitate the use of
human shields.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she
may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), who
chairs the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North
Africa.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Wilson for presenting this
bill before us today, and I rise in strong support of his bill, the
Hamas Human Shields Prevention Act. I was proud to join Mr. Wilson and
others as an original cosponsor.
Three years ago, the House and Senate both unanimously passed a
concurrent resolution that I authored which denounced the use of human
shields by Hamas and, indeed, any other terror group.
Using human shields is an unconscionable practice. It is a gross
violation of international laws and norms. Yet, invariably, the use of
human shields ends up being a winning strategy for Hamas. Why?
Because the international community falls for its deadly ploy. This
is despite the fact that Israel is unmatched in its efforts to avoid
civilian casualties.
We know Hamas forces Palestinians into becoming human shields, and
the terror group is known for firing on Israeli targets from heavily
populated areas or from places like schools or mosques. They do this on
purpose.
This disgusting practice underscores the fact that Hamas doesn't care
at all about the well-being of the Palestinian people, and the sole
purpose of Hamas is to try to force Israel into a situation in which it
may harm civilians, hoping to turn the public sentiment against the
Jewish State.
Mr. Wilson's bill, therefore, puts down an important marker, Mr.
Speaker. It builds upon our previous efforts by adding punitive
measures identifying and then sanctioning anyone affiliated with Hamas
who uses human shields.
Responsible nations must not allow Hamas to continue to use this
cynical ploy, and we in the United States have a responsibility to lead
and to ensure that this gruesome tactic is ended once and for all.
I thank Mr. Wilson from South Carolina for this initiative, and I
urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this important and much-
needed measure before us today. I thank Mr. Wilson for, once again,
highlighting this cynical, deadly, and disgusting ploy being used by
Hamas.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he
may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), chairman of
the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human
Rights, and International Organizations.
{time} 1600
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend
for yielding, and I rise in strong support of H.R. 3542, the Hamas
Human Shields Prevention Act, introduced, sponsored, and authored by my
good friend and colleague Joe Wilson; and we are all very grateful he
has brought this important legislation to the floor.
H.R. 3542 is a critical and commonsense measure that addresses Hamas'
cynical and well-documented practice of endangering civilian lives for
the sake of its terror campaign against the State of Israel.
Many independent observers attest to the Palestinian terrorist
group's strategy of locating military equipment and installations
amidst civilian infrastructure. A 2015 Amnesty International report,
Mr. Speaker, entitled, ``Unlawful and Deadly,'' exposed this
reprehensible conduct by the Palestinian terrorist groups during
Israel's 2014 Operation Protective Edge in the Gaza Strip. The report
documented examples of ``attacks launched from the vicinity of civilian
buildings or from residential areas'' in addition to the use of
``civilian buildings and facilities for other military purposes, such
as storing munitions.''
In one instance chronicled in this report, a foreign journalist
captured footage of a rocket launcher ``located some 50 meters from a
hotel frequented by international correspondents, 100 meters away from
a U.N. building, and very near several civilian homes.'' The footage
additionally showed ``children playing next to the rocket launcher.''
Amnesty further documented the discovery of ``Palestinian munitions
in three . . . vacant''--UNRWA--``schools in the Gaza Strip'' during
the conflict. One of these schools, although vacant, had ``two UNRWA
schools on either side of it''--that--``were each hosting around 1,500
displaced civilians.''
Mr. Speaker, Hamas' perverse practice of using U.N. installations to
shield military infrastructure has not abated since the 2014 Gaza war.
UNRWA discovers military infrastructure in the immediate environs of
its school on an alarmingly regular basis. Last year alone, the agency
reported discovering two militant tunnels located under its schools in
the Gaza Strip.
Of course, human rights reports and UNRWA statements account only for
a limited scope of violations that are observed and documented by
international organizations, media correspondents, and credible NGOs.
The real scope of Hamas' human shield policy is almost certainly far
greater. Israeli authorities, for example, reported that out of 3,600
Palestinian rockets launched in the first month and a half of Operation
Protective Edge, 1,600 of those rockets, nearly 45 percent, were fired
from civilian areas.
H.R. 3542 rightfully calls on the administration to use its voice and
vote in the United Nations Security Council to impose multilateral
sanctions on Hamas for this disgraceful pattern of exploiting innocent
civilians, including women and children, so that it can rain
indiscriminate rockets on innocent Israelis with greater impunity. This
bill would also impose U.S. visa bans and asset freezes on individuals
and entities that direct or facilitate Hamas' use of human shields.
By supporting this measure, Mr. Speaker, this House can advance the
cause of civilian protection for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Again, I want to thank Mr. Wilson for this excellent bill.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I have no other speakers on this side, so I will make a few remarks
in closing. Mr. Speaker, I want to put this legislation in the broader
context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A Palestinian state will
never be born as a result of the use of human shields. No country can
make peace with a group that uses its own women and children in that
manner, and no country can build peace with an entity that makes the
violation of the Geneva Conventions and the international rules of law
established military policy.
I am a firm believer in a two-state solution that results in a secure
Jewish State of Israel and a peaceful Palestinian state by its side. I
hope that this legislation will help move toward that end because it
seeks to empower those who want to make peace and sanctions those who
cheapen human life and violate international law.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which passed in our
committee without a dissenting voice.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
First, I would like to thank Congressman Sherman for his leadership
in this bipartisan legislation, which will make a difference on behalf
of the people of Gaza and on behalf of the people of Israel.
The terrorists of Hamas hide behind school children, hospital
patients, and other vulnerable civilians. This cowardly use of human
shields is a grave
[[Page H1087]]
human rights abuse that must be stopped, which sacrifices the lives of
innocent Palestinians.
I again want to thank the bipartisan sponsors of the Hamas Human
Shields Prevention Act, which deserves our unanimous support, and, in
particular, I point out the cosponsorship by the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton).
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, international law of armed conflict prohibits
the use of innocent men, women and children to deter an attack. This
cowardly and disgraceful strategy is known as using human shields. And
it's rightly deemed a war crime.
Yet since the violent takeover of Gaza in 2007, Hamas has repeatedly
put the lives of Palestinian civilians at risk by brutally using them
as human shields. Hamas also terrorizes Palestinians--the very people
they claim to represent--with summary executions and torture in Gaza.
Hamas regularly launches indiscriminate attacks on civilian
populations in Israel from densely populated positions in Gaza, often
in or near schools, mosques or hospitals. Hamas also routinely forces
Palestinian civilians to gather on the roofs of their homes to act as
human shields.
This means that every time Hamas fires a rocket, it is committing not
one, but two, war crimes: targeting civilians in Israel while
shamelessly using human shields in Gaza. Today, the Gaza Strip is a
terrorist sanctuary on Israel's borders.
The legislation we are considering today, H.R. 3542, appropriately
holds Hamas responsible for its repeated use of human shields--as well
as their enablers, like the Iranian regime. It imposes targeted
sanctions and calls for action at the United Nations Security Council
to put an end to this heinous practice.
The world cannot let terrorists embed forces among civilian
populations, using them as human shields, without taking action.
I thank the gentleman from South Carolina, Representative Wilson, for
authoring this legislation and urge my colleagues to support it.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3542, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. 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, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________