Subscribe to our RSS feed
Follow us on Twitter
Destruction from Israeli bombs in Gaza on Dec. 28. (Palestinian Centre for Human Rights)
As expected, the U.S. House of Representatives approved, by an overwhelming 390-5 bipartisan vote, a non-binding resolution “[r]ecognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States’ strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.” Aside from Reps. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum, who voted “present,” Minnesota’s delegation, regardless of party affiliation, voted for the resolution.
In a floor statement, McCollum, who was among 22 legislators who refrained from voting, said the resolution “justifies Israel’s bombardment of the citizens of Gaza, sanctions the incursion of Israeli troops into Gaza to clear this occupied territory of Hamas fighters regardless of the human cost, and calls for ’supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process’ while innocent Palestinian women and children are being killed in Gaza. This resolution strongly and justifiably condemns Hamas, but the resolution’s intent and substance are void of any relation to the hellish reality that is being inflicted on the citizens of Gaza right now or the deprivation inflicted upon Gaza families by Israel’s harsh denial of food, medicine and fuel over the past year.”
Ellison acknowledged he was “torn” about voting: he supports Israel’s right to defend itself, but also lamented that the resolution “barely mentions the human suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza.”
Four Democrats (California’s Maxine Waters, Ohio’s Dennis Kucinich, Wisconsin’s Gwen Moore, West Virginia’s Nick Rahall) and one Republican (Ron Paul of Texas) voted against the resolution.
In her defense of the resolution, Republican Michele Bachmann said, “No one likes to see the destruction, the loss of life, the grief. But, Israel was pushed into a corner with no other option than to defend and protect its people. Now, it is time that Congress put its words into action and stand strong behind our most valuable ally, Israel.”
The vote, coming on the 14th day of Israel’s air and ground strikes on Gaza, which have killed nearly 800 Palestinians (including 257 children and 85 women), “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.” Near the end, the resolution adds that the U.S. House “expresses condolences to innocent Palestinian and Israeli victims and their families, and reiterates that humanitarian needs in Gaza should be addressed promptly and responsibly.”
In a break from the Senate version passed yesterday, the House resolution calls for “the immediate release of the kidnaped [sic] Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been illegally held in Gaza since June 2006″ and says Egypt must take measures to stop cross-border smuggling into Gaza.”
The Senate version was “passed unanimously,” according to Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s office, indicating she approved of the resolution.
Text of the resolution:
Recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States’ strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. (Introduced in House)
HRES 34 IH
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 34
Recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States’ strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 8, 2009
Ms. PELOSI (for herself, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr. HOYER, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. PENCE, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. MCCARTHY of California, Mr. BERMAN, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. ACKERMAN, and Mr. BURTON of Indiana) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
RESOLUTION
Recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States’ strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Whereas Hamas was founded with the stated goal of destroying the State of Israel;
Whereas Hamas has been designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization;
Whereas Hamas has refused to comply with the Quartet’s (the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations) requirements 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 illegally crossed into Israel, attacked Israeli forces, and kidnaped Corporal Gilad Shalit, whom they continue to hold today;
Whereas Hamas has launched thousands of rockets and mortars against Israeli population centers since 2001, and has launched more than 6,000 such rockets and mortars since Israel withdrew its civilian population and its military from Gaza in 2005;
Whereas Hamas has increased the range and payload of its rockets, reportedly with support from Iran and others, putting hundreds of thousands 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 `We strongly condemn the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and hold Hamas responsible for breaking the cease-fire and for the renewal of violence there’;
Whereas on December 27, 2008, Israeli Prime Minister 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 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 hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian assistance and numerous ambulances entering the Gaza Strip since the current round of fighting began on December 27, 2008;
Whereas on January 6, 2009, before the United Nations Security Council, Secretary Rice stated that: ‘The situation before the current events in Gaza was clearly not sustainable. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis lived under the daily threat of rocket attack, and frankly, no country, none of our countries, would have been willing to tolerate such a circumstance. Moreover, the people of Gaza watched as insecurity and lawlessness increased and as their living conditions grew more dire because of Hamas’s actions which began with the illegal coup against the Palestinian Authority in Gaza. . . . A ceasefire that returns to those circumstances is unacceptable and it will not last’; and
Whereas the ultimate goal of the United States is a sustainable resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will ensure the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and a viable, independent, and democratic Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives–
(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 Hamas’s unceasing aggression, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter;
(2) reiterates that Hamas must end the rocket and mortar attacks against Israel, recognize Israel’s right to exist, renounce violence, agree to accept previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians, and verifiably dismantle its terrorist infrastructure;
(3) encourages the Administration to work actively to support a durable and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza , as soon as possible, that prevents Hamas from retaining or rebuilding its terrorist infrastructure, including the capability to launch rockets and mortars against Israel, and thereby allowing for the long-term improvement of daily living conditions for the people of Gaza;
(4) believes strongly that the lives of innocent civilians must be protected to the maximum extent possible, expresses condolences to innocent Palestinian and Israeli victims and their families, and reiterates that humanitarian needs in Gaza should be addressed promptly and responsibly;
(5) calls on all nations–
(A) to condemn Hamas for deliberately embedding its fighters, leaders, and weapons in private homes, schools, mosques, hospitals, and otherwise using Palestinian civilians as human shields, while simultaneously targeting Israeli civilians; and
(B) to lay blame both for the breaking of the ‘calm’ and for subsequent civilian casualties in Gaza precisely where blame belongs, that is, on Hamas;
(6) supports and encourages efforts to diminish the appeal and influence of extremists in the Palestinian territories, and strengthen moderate Palestinians who are committed to a secure and lasting peace with Israel;
(7) calls on Egypt to intensify its efforts to halt smuggling between Gaza and Egypt and affirms the willingness of the United States to continue to assist Egypt in these efforts;
(8) calls for the immediate release of the kidnaped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been illegally held in Gaza since June 2006; and
(9) reiterates its strong support for a just and sustainable resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict achieved through negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in order to ensure the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and a viable, independent, and democratic Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel.
Read statements on the resolution by Rep. Michele Bachmann and Rep. Betty McCollum.
More:
Ellison on Al Jazeera: ‘Not much sympathy’ by U.S. for Palestinians
Rep. McCollum speaks out on Gaza, Israel violence
Minnesota congressional delegaton mostly mum on Israel, Gaza
Leave a comment
Become a fan on Facebook
8 Comments »
Comment posted January 9, 2009 @ 6:12 pm
when will the interests of the united states, become more important than those of israel? i for one, am sick and tired of having us foreign policy determined by aipac and their paid henchmen and women in the us congress. it is time for this to stop, my congratulations go to ellison and mccollum. its about time we started to stand up for the us. israel has a long history of spying on this country, not to mention the attack on the liberty a us naval vessel in international waters, that resulted in the loss of us lives. we all know that israel has a right to exist, but, does israel have the right to determine us foreign policy?
Comment posted January 10, 2009 @ 8:11 am
Let’s establish a stronger image; a clearer picture here. The latest incident by Israel is one ugly cameo that defines the terrorist stance Israel has been performing so arrogantly for at least three weeks against the Palestinians of Gaza. The Zeiton incident…it’s so recent the blood hasn’t dried on the floor of the homes where Israel held back help for dying families for four days…babies among them crying beside their dead mothers… One news clip ;one of many describes it intimately…1/10/09, N.Y. times, “For Arab Clan, Days Of Agony In a Crossfire”)
It is but the latest story rolling out like a bloody carpet that makes Israel’s excuse for reigning down genocide on Gaza, unacceptably absurd.
And what has Minnesota been doing? Only two of our congressmen now stand up, finally?
Pawlenty and his tradesman brigade of 37 just got back in time before made-in-America Back Hawks and bombs reigned down terror on the Palestinians…so, should we stand passively sipping a cup of tea as genocide happens, and call it acceptable?
One lump but two to sweeten the brew? We sucked a sugar lump when the White House backed Israel’s latest acts of war. We sucked a second lump wwith Pawlenty’s trade trip…with state taxes; national taxes…yours and mine. Our tax dollars twice incestually involve us in these present acts of terrorism. Tradesmanship or the Bush administration’s financial support involve us and makes for one bitter cup however one sweetens the brew.
Comment posted January 10, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
We need to call McCollum’s office and thank her for her great statement. I wish she had opposed the resolution, but I guess something is better than nothing. The entire world is going out in demonstrations to denounce the Israeli government, from Tokyo to Berlin to Kenya to cities in South America, while we in our “special” putrid little world go against all common sense and support an occupier who starves for months then bombards an entire district with 1.5 million people living in it, many of them already refugees whose homes and lands were stolen by Israel.
Comment posted January 10, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
Thank god the good men and women of our house and senate are brave enough and smart enough to stand up and say that Israel has a right to defend herself. No country would allow what Israel has allowed. While one prays that the innocent lives will be spared, Hamas is to blame for said lose as they hide their weapons in home and schools and use innocent civilians as shields.
Comment posted January 11, 2009 @ 6:19 am
I second Jenny’s comments. Hamas embedded itself with civilians, hiding in schools and mosques. Ellison and McCollum are disgraces to begin with, now we can add pacifist to that. How’s this for example: Tijuana, Mexico has been overrun by feuding drug gangs. The homocide rate is through the roof. Say the gangs decide to start attacking and killing our Border Patrol, the San Diego Police and for good measure start firing RPG’s at vehicles. We tell the Mexican government to squash this crap, they say they can’t. How long do you think before Marines from Pendleton are touring Tijuana? This crap has been going on the day the Israelis left the occupied West Bank. Hamas is getting what’s coming to them. Too bad the international community and the pussies at the UN don’t have the balls to condemn Hamas, Hezbollah and their suppliers Iran and Syria. Typical of the UN though. Anything pro USA or Israel goes down in flames. Hmmm, maybe the UN could move its headquarters to Gaza.
Comment posted January 11, 2009 @ 9:02 am
Concerning wars, walls and other reckless affirmations…
The baboon rattles his cage
and arrogantly shouts,
“I’m glad I’m safe
behind this cage
that keeps ‘the others’ out!”…
Who are we walling in or walling out?
Comment posted January 11, 2009 @ 10:19 am
Betty and Keith need to do more. They need to sign onto Kucinich’s Bill that I can’t find right now. They have been supported and it is the Peace community that worked to get Ellison into office. I do praise them for not voting for the resolution but with the war crimes being committeed by the Israel Goverment they need to do more.
The Arms Export Control Act (AECA) requires that each nation that receives a shipment of arms from the United States must certify that the weapons are used for internal security and legitimate self-defense, and that their use does not lead to an escalation of conflict. Congressman Kucinich informed the administration of Israel’s possible violation of AECA through Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on January 6, 2009. Kucinich has yet to receive a response.
Comment posted January 23, 2009 @ 12:44 am
Yes, Ann G, I couldn’t agree more! I find it hard to applaud a vote of “present.” We need to send a strong message to our representatives to stand up against the atrocities committed by the Israeli army. A vote against the resolution sends that message; we can accept nothing less. The right to defend does not mean a blank check, wherever, whenever or however a country pleases. It does not encompass the use of white phosphorus, the bombing of UN schools and aid warehouses, or the slaughter of innocent civilians who have no viable escape route. The road to peace, hardly.
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL
Leave a comment