[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 128, 113th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
HUMAN SHIELDS--DENOUNCEMENT
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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;


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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

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
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.

Agreed to December 10, 2014.