[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 195 (Tuesday, November 28, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H5923-H5926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REAFFIRMING THE STATE OF ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 888) reaffirming the State of Israel's right to
exist.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 888
Whereas the Jewish people are native to the Land of Israel;
Whereas throughout history and across the reign of multiple
kingdoms, the Jewish people were persecuted and expelled from
the Land of Israel, forced to live as minority diaspora
communities in other lands;
Whereas Jewish diaspora communities were historically
violently persecuted in, and in some cases expelled from,
other countries throughout the Middle East, Europe, Africa,
and Asia due to their religion;
Whereas the Nazis attempted to annihilate the entire Jewish
population of Europe during the Holocaust, murdering
6,000,000 Jews during this time;
Whereas this genocide provided new urgency to re-establish
a Jewish homeland for the Jewish people following the
Holocaust, where they would not be a vulnerable minority,
where they could freely practice their faith, and where
something like the Holocaust could never happen again;
Whereas the modern State of Israel was established on May
14, 1948;
Whereas even after the establishment of the State of
Israel, other countries and terrorist entities continued to
attack Israel, reject its right to exist, and call for its
destruction; and
Whereas Israel is the only Jewish State, and therefore,
despite persistent external threats, the existence of Israel
provides Jews a place to live free from persecution and
discrimination: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) reaffirms the State of Israel's right to exist;
(2) recognizes that denying Israel's right to exist is a
form of antisemitism;
(3) rejects calls for Israel's destruction and the
elimination of the only Jewish State; and
(4) condemns the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Lawler) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Manning)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
[[Page H5924]]
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to urge the House to agree to my resolution
that reaffirms Israel's fundamental right to exist.
This is a pretty simple and straightforward resolution. Israel has a
right to exist. You either believe that or you don't. The American
people should see very clearly whether or not the Members of Congress
affirm Israel's right to exist.
President Harry Truman recognized Israel 11 minutes after its
founding. America was the first country to recognize the State of
Israel, and for good reason.
Over the last 75 years, Israel has become the greatest ally of the
United States--our shared values, shared heritage. The relationship
between our two Nations is unbreakable.
I fundamentally believe that the terrorist attacks of October 7
perpetrated by Hamas are about one thing: Hamas does not believe Israel
has the right to exist. Hamas wants to eradicate the Jewish people from
the face of the Earth. They say so.
Other bad actors like Hezbollah share that perspective. Iran, the
greatest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, the backer and funder
of Hamas, has been calling for the eradication of the State of Israel
for millennia. They don't believe they have the right to exist.
This resolution seeks to reaffirm the commitment made by President
Truman upon Israel's founding. We not only recognize Israel, we
reaffirm Israel's fundamental right to exist.
In the wake of the horrific October 7 attacks on Israel, we saw
Members of this body and other opponents of Israel call for the
elimination of Israel. When they chant: ``From the river to the sea,
Palestine shall be free,'' they mean that Israel will not exist.
I want Palestinians to be free. I want them to be free from their
oppressors: Hamas and the Palestinian authority.
Hamas has used Palestinians as human shields even until today. As
Israel prosecutes this war against this terrorist organization, Hamas
uses Palestinians as human shields, camping out in hospitals and
schools, launching missiles, shooting innocent civilians.
I watched in horror the 21-minute unedited, raw footage of the
October 7 terrorist attack. Every Member of Congress was offered the
opportunity to watch a 45-minute viewing of that attack.
Nearly half of Congress chose not to come, including some of the
Members who have made it clear that they don't support Israel's right
to exist.
{time} 1800
On college campuses and city streets, we see people calling for an
intifada, actively promoting the destruction of the Jewish state.
Everyone has a right to say what they want about a foreign government,
to say what they want about war, but they don't have the right to
delegitimize the very existence of the Jewish state to justify terror.
The State of Israel was created 75 years ago to reestablish the
native homeland of the Jewish people. For centuries, Jews were
discriminated against and persecuted wherever they went. This
culminated in the attempted genocide of European Jews during the
Holocaust; 6 million Jews slaughtered.
This most recent genocide provides new urgency to reestablish the
Jewish homeland where the Jewish people were displaced, and we wanted
to create a homeland where they weren't a vulnerable minority, where
they could freely practice their faith, and where something like the
Holocaust could never happen again.
Yet, on October 7, we saw the largest slaughtering of Jews since the
Holocaust. Yet, still today, many Jews view Israel as the safest place
for them to live, even as rockets and missiles come from all sides.
Denying Israel's right to exist is denying the Jewish people the
right to self-determination. It is denying the Jewish people's historic
ties to the land. It is justifying war crimes against babies, and let's
call it what it is, it is anti-Semitic.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this commonsense resolution
that makes one thing fundamentally clear: Israel has a right to exist.
Congress must never stop pushing back against Israel's opponents, and
we must reject biased attempts to destroy our greatest ally.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 888 introduced by my
friends, Representatives Mike Lawler and Jared Moskowitz.
Mr. Speaker, on many occasions this House of Representatives has
reaffirmed Israel's right to exist, and it is important that we do so
again today. It is incomprehensible to me that after Hamas' horrific
terrorist attack on October 7, the largest attack on the Jewish people
since the Holocaust, we are seeing a growing wave of anti-Semitism rear
its ugly head at home and around the world.
Since Israel's independence in 1948 and its admission into the United
Nations the following year, international law has mandated Israel's
right to exist. Yet, as of this year, 28 of the 193 United Nation
member states still do not recognize Israeli sovereignty.
The terrorist organization, Hamas, has declared that Israel has no
right to exist and for decades has targeted Israel for destruction with
suicide bombs, with missiles and rockets, and most recently, with
gruesome and savage terror attacks targeting civilians.
The destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews is Hamas' sole
focus. They have murdered babies, raped women, executed parents in
front of their children, and massacred 260 young people at a music
festival. They have taken 250 innocent civilians, including American
citizens, hostage.
They are not working to help the Palestinian people who elected them.
Indeed, the Palestinian people are shamelessly used and abused by Hamas
as human shields.
As a proud, lifelong supporter of a two-state solution, I know that
with Hamas in control of 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, real progress
on a two-state solution cannot being achieved. Hamas has always only
ever played spoiler. The same is true of Iran's other regional proxies,
Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and others, who also exist only
to destabilize and destroy Israel, not to strive for a two-state
solution.
There cannot be peace when a party to a conflict doesn't recognize
the other parties' right to exist. With recognition comes peace and
mutual prosperity, security, and innovation. That is why efforts to
facilitate and expand the Abraham Accords are so historic and
important. The Abraham Accords countries, along with Egypt and Jordan,
all recognize this fact and are advancing their nations in the spirit
of regional cooperation and peace.
Here at home, whether it is on public streets, on college campuses,
or online, we have seen a deeply disturbing and aggressive increase and
despicable call for Israel to cease existing as a Jewish State.
The phrase, ``from the river to the sea,'' a sickening call for the
destruction of the State of Israel and the genocide of the Jewish
people, has become a rallying cry for those hoping for Israel's
destruction. Calling for total Palestinian control of all Israeli
territory from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea is a call to
eliminate the Jewish State of Israel.
This resolution states that denying Israel's right to exist is a form
of anti-Semitism. I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. To be
clear, it is not necessarily anti-Semitic to criticize the State of
Israel or its leaders for particular policies. That is free speech, and
no country is above criticism for its policies, including our own. It
is absolutely anti-Semitic to treat Israel as a pariah based on the
claim that Jews alone should be denied the right to define themselves
as a people and to exercise any form of national self-determination.
This is the crucial difference. It is anti-Semitism, and we must
totally reject it.
In 2015, former President Barack Obama stated the following in an
interview: I think it would be a moral failing for me as President of
the United
[[Page H5925]]
States, a moral failing for America, and a moral failing for the world
if we did not protect Israel and stand up for its right to exist,
because that would negate not just the history of the 20th century, it
would negate the history of the past millennium.
Mr. Speaker, I totally agree with that statement. For thousands of
years, Jews have suffered persecution and lack the safety and stability
of a homeland. Today, the modern Jewish State of Israel thrives in the
ancient Jewish Holy Land where it is a robust democracy and productive
and treasured member of the international community of nations.
Israel has signed peace treaties with two of its most important
neighbors and has come to the table for many rounds of peace
negotiations with the Palestinians. Israel is a country that wants
peace, whereas Hamas and its Iranian patron do not.
Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people and will always remain a
place of refuge where Jews can be truly safe and control their own
destiny. Israel is certainly worthy of the support of this House and
the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on
Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 888 reaffirming the
State of Israel's right to exist.
I thank my good friend from New York, Mike Lawler, for introducing
this timely, extremely important, and ever-necessary resolution.
Mr. Speaker, Israel is the only state in the world whose fundamental
right to exist is openly denied by other states. Some of them,
including Iran, even call for Israel's complete destruction and support
transnational terrorist organizations to work toward its demise.
It is also the only state in the world whose fundamental right to
exist is constantly undermined and challenged by intergovernmental
organizations, such as and most shamefully of all, the United Nations.
The anti-Semitism motivating those who deny Israel's right to exist
is apparent, but it is important to connect, as this resolution does,
the denial of Israel's right to exist, to anti-Semitism, and to connect
them both as enabling causes to the monstrous crimes Hamas has
unleashed on Israel.
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, anti-Semitic bigotry is at the root of
the U.N.'s hostility toward Israel, which is ugly, evil, and manifests
itself at almost every U.N. entity.
On November 8, I chaired a hearing of my subcommittee, and we called
it United Nations' Bigotry Towards Israel.
We heard expert testimony from Hillel Neuer, the executive director
of U.N. Watch; and Jonathan Schanzer, the senior vice president for
research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
Hillel Neuer testified: ``Teachers and schools at the U.N. Relief and
Works Agency, which runs education and social services for
Palestinians, regularly call to murder Jews, and create teaching
materials that glorify terrorism, encourage martyrdom, demonize
Israelis, and incite anti-Semitism.''
He further said: ``In 2022 alone, UNRWA received $344 million in U.S.
funding. Yet, a March 2023 report by U.N. Watch and Impact-SE
identified 133 UNRWA educators and staff who were found to promote hate
and violence on social media, and an additional 82 teachers and other
staff affiliated with 30 UNRWA schools who were involved in drafting
and distributing hateful content to their students.''
That is just the tip of the iceberg.
Jonathan Schanzer testified that: ``The U.N. doesn't recognize Hamas
as a terrorist organization. Nor does it recognize Hezbollah either.
That means U.N. resources can be and regularly are provided to members
of those terrorist groups.''
Mr. Speaker, according to the great human rights defender, Nathan
Sharansky's famous 3-D test for anti-Semitism, which he articulated at
a hearing that I chaired way back in 2004, criticism of Israel is
nothing less than anti-Semitic when it passes over into the
demonization of Jews and Israel, delegitimizes the Jewish state, or
applies double standards; that is, one standard for Israel, and another
for every other country on Earth.
That is what many U.N. entities and agencies do every single day.
Yesterday, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the JTA, reported on the
latest example of the double standard and said: ``Nearly 50 days after
Hamas' attack on Israel left 1,200 dead, and after weeks of criticism
over its silence about allegations of sexual violence during the
attack, the women's rights group, U.N. Women, issued a statement
condemning the terror group on Friday.
Then it deleted the post.''
Here is what it said originally:
`` `We condemn the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7 and continue
to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,'
read the initial statement posted on U.N. Women's Instagram page.
It was soon replaced with a statement that dropped the condemnation
of Hamas and only called for the release of hostages.''
Mr. Speaker, there are so many examples.
In 2022, the U.N. General Assembly targeted Israel in a total of 15
harshly critical resolutions, compared to 13 country-specific
resolutions for the entire world: China, North Korea, Iran; 13 for all
of them combined, 15 for Israel.
In large measure, it is because of the U.N., which unquestionably is
the world's foremost legitimizer of anti-Semitism, that it remains
necessary, 75 years after the founding of the great State of Israel, to
reaffirm its right to exist.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague from New York, and
my friend from Florida, for authoring this important resolution.
{time} 1815
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Moskowitz).
Mr. MOSKOWITZ. Mr. Speaker, Israel has a right to exist. There are
only two ways to vote on this. Either you vote ``yes'' or you vote
``no.'' ``No'' means you do not believe Israel should be a country.
``No'' means you believe a country should be wiped off the face of the
Earth. A ``present'' vote means you do not believe Israel should be a
country. Hanging out in the cloakroom, having a hot dog, or missing the
vote means Israel shouldn't be a country.
This is a moment for people in this body, on a bipartisan basis, to
stand together and say they believe Israel has a right to exist.
Hamas doesn't think Israel has a right to exist. Hezbollah doesn't
think Israel has a right to exist. Iran doesn't think Israel has a
right to exist. People who vote ``no'' or vote ``present'' side with
them. They pick a side with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.
I don't want to hear excuses. ``Oh, I didn't like this `whereas'
clause,'' or, ``Oh, there was a period or a comma out of place,'' as if
somehow we always vote on perfect resolutions around here. Again, it is
an opportunity to show the world that we believe Israel has a right to
exist.
We see anti-Semitism in the streets and at rallies. At cease-fire
rallies, which is a foreign policy position, we see people holding
signs that say: ``Gas the Jews,'' ``Kill the Jews,'' and ``Cleanse the
Jews.'' That is not a foreign policy. If it is, it is a foreign policy
of Germany in the early 1940s.
This is a moment for people in this body, some of whom sit in the
rows behind me, to show they believe Israel has a right to exist.
I am for a two-state solution, Mr. Speaker. I think it is important
that the Palestinian people get a state. But rest assured, in that two-
state solution, one of those states is going to be Israel.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Florida.
Mr. MOSKOWITZ. Mr. Speaker, I conclude with this: Anyone who believes
that Israel doesn't have a right to exist is calling for genocide. We
hear that word thrown around a lot now on
[[Page H5926]]
social media, ``genocide.'' We have a war in the Middle East. We don't
have genocide.
If you believe a country should not exist, the millions of people in
that country should also not exist, which means you are calling for
genocide.
Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to vote ``yes'' on this resolution.
Israel has a right to exist.
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Rhode Island (Mr. Amo), the newest member of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee.
Mr. AMO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to affirm our ally Israel's right to
exist.
The unprovoked October 7 attack by Hamas has left a deep wound.
Israel has a right to defend itself against this barbarism consistent
with international humanitarian law, including the protection of
civilians.
Far too many Israeli families do not know the fate of their loved
ones at the hands of Hamas. While some have relief, there are still
many who need to be reunited with their families. My hope is that the
success President Biden has had will secure the release of all the
hostages.
Importantly, the extended pause has meant additional humanitarian
assistance to alleviate the suffering of the innocent Palestinian
families in Gaza for whom Hamas has no regard. There must be sustained
and safe access to food, water, and medical care.
Paramount is the prevention of this conflict from spreading,
preserving stability in the Middle East, and working toward a durable
peace.
These events have brought forward a rise in anti-Semitism and
Islamophobia. Anti-Semitic incidents have involved violent assaults on
Jewish students on college campuses and protesters extolling terrorist
organizations.
Close to home, I was especially horrified that this past weekend,
three students of Palestinian descent, one a Brown University student,
were shot. I pray for their recovery and that the assailant be brought
to justice.
This crisis of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia demands an urgent and
collective response. There is no place for violence or hate in America.
In recognition of Israel's right to exist and for the immediate
release of hostages taken during the October 7 attack, I urge my
colleagues to support H. Res. 888 and H. Res. 793.
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
for the purpose of closing.
Mr. Speaker, the Jewish people have connections to the State of
Israel that go back thousands of years. Indeed, the Jewish people are
indigenous to that land.
Yes, Israel has a right to exist. This multicultural, multiethnic,
multireligious nation, a nation of laws, a nation with free speech and
free press, a nation of innovation, and a vibrant, thriving democracy,
an incredible country, has much to teach the world and will continue to
do so. This country, our only democratic ally in the Middle East, is
here to stay.
This resolution puts the House of Representatives on record as
affirming the State of Israel's right to exist. It recognizes that
denying Israel's right to exist is a form of anti-Semitism. It rejects
calls for Israel's destruction and the elimination of the only Jewish
state and condemns the October 7 Hamas-led terrorist attack on the
State of Israel and its people.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution, and I urge all my
colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for
closing.
It should be clear by now to each and every Member of this body on
both sides of the aisle and every American that Israel has a right to
exist. This sentiment is unequivocal and is a critical point to
unequivocally voice now in our ally's time of need.
Harry Truman recognized the State of Israel 11 minutes after its
founding. For 75 years, the United States and Israel have had a special
bond. Israel is the only multiracial, multiethnic, multireligious
democracy in the Middle East. It is a beacon of hope, of freedom, and
of opportunity.
If anyone in this body believes that they do not have the right to
exist, please explain to us and the American people what nation does.
This is a simple vote, and every Member should be on record in
support of Israel's right to exist. If they cannot muster the courage
to support Israel's right to exist at this moment, they don't belong in
Congress, period.
This is a simple vote, and I encourage all of my colleagues to stand
with Israel, to defend and reaffirm their very right to exist, and to
defend the right of the Jewish people to practice their faith.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 888.
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. LAWLER. 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.
____________________