“As strong supporters of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, we are writing to express our deep concern for the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and to request immediate action by the United States to address this crisis,” reads the letter. “With the ceasefire now in effect, it is critical that the United States play a leading role in alleviating the suffering of civilians in Gaza and we respectfully urge your assistance in this task.”

Earlier this month, Ellison was among 22 representatives who refrained from voting on a resolution supporting Israel’s military incursion into Gaza; he noted that resolution’s failure to adequately address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Full text of the letter, which was originally signed by Ellison as well as Reps. John Olver, D-Mass.; Lois Capps, D-Calif.; David Price, D-N.C.; Barbara Lee, D-Calif.; Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y.; and Sam Farr, D-Calif., and has 30 representatives as of Wednesday:

First, we would like to congratulate you on being sworn in as our nation’s 67th Secretary of State. We are very hopeful that this new era in American foreign policy upon which we embark can advance the cause of peace in the Middle East and beyond.

As strong supporters of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, we are writing to express our deep concern for the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and to request immediate action by the United States to address this crisis. With the ceasefire now in effect, it is critical that the United States play a leading role in alleviating the suffering of civilians in Gaza and we respectfully urge your assistance in this task.

As you know, the situation on the ground is dire. The flow of humanitarian goods into the Gaza Strip is limited to food and medicine. Yet there exists a real need to allow for the importation of construction materials and fuel, which require the opening of crossings into Gaza. For example, only the Karni Crossing has the capacity for transporting large cargo, such as cement, but it remains closed.

In addition, in order to rebuild civilian infrastructure in Gaza the international community is going to have to make significant monetary contributions. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) estimates financial needs of nearly $350 million just to rebuild their own infrastructure and continue providing essential services to the Palestinians in Gaza.
We also remain especially concerned about the desperate condition of medical services in Gaza. Although Israel has begun to allow limited medical supplies into Gaza, the need far outweighs the availability while hospitals remain understaffed and ill-supplied. One of the most crucial steps that needs to be taken is for Israel to allow critically ill patients to be transported out of Gaza and into Israel, the West Bank and Jordan, where they may receive necessary medical care. We therefore urge you to express this concern directly to Israeli government officials.

In addition to the several thousand individuals who were physically injured during the recent military operations, we can expect to see a dramatic increase in the number of individuals suffering from psychological trauma. In order to help the population to begin rebuilding, we will need to further ensure that funds are used to provide adequate mental health services in Gaza.”

Failure to address this humanitarian emergency has the potential to produce a crisis of even more unspeakable proportions. We therefore respectfully request that the State Department release emergency funds to UNRWA for reconstruction and humanitarian assistance. We believe the State Department can make funds available through accounts such as Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA) and urge you to facilitate the transfer of funds as soon as possible.

We look forward to maintaining a productive and ongoing dialogue with the State Department and the Obama Administration regarding the United States response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Toward that end we respectfully request that you or your staff share with us the actions taken to date and the strategy you will pursue to address the humanitarian crisis within 14 days.

Finally, we know that addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a whole is a top priority of the Obama Administration and we applaud President Obama and you for your early and public commitment to meet this challenge. We also believe that the naming of former Senator George Mitchell as special envoy to the Middle East is commendable. We believe the security interests of both Israel and the United States will be greatly enhanced by the establishment of a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and that United States involvement is indispensable in achieving that goal. We stand ready to work with you as the Administration furthers these efforts.

Madame Speaker, I come to the floor today torn about this resolution.

Though I welcome resolutions by Congress to express support for the people of Israel and Gaza at this difficult time, this resolution does little to move toward a stable and durable peace in the Middle East.

I cannot vote against this resolution because I believe every country in the world has the right to defend itself.

I have been to Sderot and I have seen first-hand both the physical and emotional destruction caused by the rocket attacks launched by Hamas.

Israeli citizens living near the Gaza border have been repeatedly harassed and live daily in fear. Hamas, a terrorist organization founded with the goal of destroying Israel, has launched more than 6,000 rockets and mortars into Israel since 2005.

Last fall I voted for a resolution specifically condemning these rocket attacks into Israel.

At the same time I cannot vote for this resolution because it barely mentions the human suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza.

Over 750 people have been killed, including 250 children and 50 women, with over 3,000 people injured.

And even before the recent Israeli military operation, life for the people of Gaza had become increasingly unliveable — with shortages of food, fuel and basic medical supplies.

The 1.4 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip existed in a state of dreadful isolation, cut off from the world, often including the world’s media.

Earlier this year the people of Gaza broke through the walls separating Gaza and Egypt simply to purchase groceries.

We need to have compassion for the people of Gaza and the tremendous human suffering there.

That is why I will vote “present” on this resolution concerning the current conflict in Gaza.

History has shown that ground troops and air strikes have not resolved conflict in the Middle East. If we try to resolve conflict with military might and nothing else, then we will be no safer than we were before.

Diplomacy is necessary to save lives and yield a lasting peace with security.

The United States government, together with international partners, must play an active role in pursuing real peace with security in the Middle East.

With their “present” votes, Ellison and fellow Minnesota representative Betty McCollum were in the minority; the non-binding resolution passed with bipartisan support, 390 votes to five.

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

“The current conflict in Gaza has drawn worldwide attention and concern. 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 extremist views that support terrorism and violence are the biggest threat to both our nations. Terrorist organizations like Hamas and the Islamic Jihad actively foster violence and hinder the peace process in the Mideast. These acts endanger the entire global community, most of all the peace-loving people who live in the Middle East. These are not only Israelis, but also Palestinians. They deserve a chance for a peaceful life and a future for their children. Terrorists work to block such chances.

“The people of Israel have been victims of violence and hatred for far too long. It is imperative that the leaders of America do everything in their power to foster an environment with the Middle East that promotes peace and understanding. The future of America and Israel depend on it.”

The measure passed 390 to 5, with 22 representatives, including Minnesota’s Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison voting “present.”

Many Democrats, including President-elect Barack Obama, maintain staunch support for Israel, despite its military crackdown on Hamas in Gaza over the past two weeks, but a few Minnesotans — including Reps. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum and Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Norm Coleman — have taken more independent approaches. Discussing the conflict with Al Jazeera’s Shihab Rattansi yesterday, Ellison expanded on his statement of last Friday, which accused the Bush administration of passively ignoring the strikes and ground offensive that have killed nearly 600 people in Gaza and during which he said he supported actively engaging both sides to find peace. He says there’s little sympathy from the U.S. for civilians in Gaza (some of whom died yesterday when Israel attacked U.N.-administered schools in Gaza, killing at least 40).

“Just declaring ‘We support Israel’ or, for that matter, ‘We support Palestine’ is no solution. What we need someone to say, ‘We support peace,’” Ellison said. “There is a legitimate Palestinian narrative that the world must hear.”

He continued: “The people who have a strong sympathy for the Israeli position dominate the conversation. It’s really not politically safe to say, ‘Look, there are two sides to this, and Israel has not been an angel in this, and certainly there have been people on the Palestinian side who have not contributed to a constructive solution.’ … I don’t believe my colleagues are fully aware of how desperately bad it is [in Gaza for Palestinians].”

Video after the jump.


Related: Kucinich: In Gaza, Israel has violated arms export act

The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Women Against Military Madness and the Anti-War Committee launched a protest at Klobuchar’s Minneapolis office, along with smaller ones at the offices of Coleman and Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum.

“I am not condemning what Israel has done as you have asked me to do,” Klobuchar told them. “We need to work toward a cease-fire and I would like to see a cease-fire in place.”

Coleman responded through his communications director, LeRoy Coleman, “While Senator Coleman strongly believes that Israel has a right to defend itself, he calls on both sides to quickly work towards a lasting cease-fire. However, a cease-fire cannot just be a short term opportunity for Hamas to regroup.”

But probably the strongest voice among the Minnesota delegation came from Ellison.

“If the Bush administration chooses to passively ignore the renewed violence during the waning days of their time in office, then I fully expect to work with President-elect Obama in actively, aggressively and with full purpose, engaging all parties in the pursuit of both a lasting peace, and a secure future. Nothing less is acceptable,” said Ellison.

He outlined a number of strategies to a ceasefire: intervention by the “Quartet,” which is comprised of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia; opening the borders with Israel and Egypt to allow civilians to seek refuge from the violence; and an end to “inflammatory rhetoric and aggressive actions.” Ellison called the Hamas rhetoric “belligerent defiance,” and said the Israeli sanctions made life “increasingly unlivable” for Palestinians in the Gaza.

“The escalation of violence leaves both parties less secure and with a deeper desire to seek revenge,” he said.

The other members of the Minnesota’s congressional delegation have not publicly weighed in on the Israeli-Gaza conflict.