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Congress & the Middle East: House Resolution Supporting Israel’s Right to Defend Itself

(July 20, 2006)

H.Res. 921

A resolution:

Condemning the recent attacks against the State of Israel, holding terrorists and their state-sponsors accountable for such attacks, supporting Israel's right to defend itself, and for other purposes.

Whereas on September 12, 2005, Israel completed its unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, demonstrating its willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of peace;

Whereas more than 1,000 rockets have been launched from Gaza into Israel since Israel's disengagement;

Whereas in a completely unprovoked attack that occurred in undisputed Israeli territory on June 25, 2006, Israeli Defense Forces Corporal Gilad Shalit was kidnapped and is being held hostage in Gaza by a Palestinian terrorist group which includes members of Hamas;

Whereas Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal, in Damascus, Syria, has acknowledged the role of Hamas in holding Corporal Shalit hostage;

Whereas in a completely unprovoked attack that occurred in undisputed Israeli territory on July 12, 2006, operatives of the terrorist group Hezbollah operating out of southern Lebanon killed three Israeli soldiers and took two others hostage;

Whereas Israel fully complied with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 (1978) by completely withdrawing its forces from Lebanon, as certified by the United Nations Security Council and affirmed by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on June 16, 2000, when he said, `Israel has withdrawn from [Lebanon] in full compliance with Security Council Resolution 425.';

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004) calls for the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon and the dismantlement of all independent militias in Lebanon;

Whereas despite the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, the Government of Lebanon has failed to disband and disarm Hezbollah, allowing Hezbollah instead to amass 13,000 rockets, including rockets that are more destructive, longer-range and more accurate than rockets previously used by Hezbollah, and has integrated Hezbollah into the Lebanese Government;

Whereas the Government of Israel has previously shown great restraint despite the fact that Hezbollah has launched at least four separate attacks into Israel using rockets and ground forces over the past year;

Whereas the failure of the Government of Lebanon to implement all aspects of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 and to extend its authority throughout its territory has enabled Hezbollah to launch armed attacks against Israel and recently to kidnap Israeli soldiers;

Whereas Hezbollah's strength derives significantly from the direct financial, military, and political support it receives from Syria and Iran, and Hezbollah also receives important support from sources within Lebanon;

Whereas Iranian Revolutionary Guards continue to operate in southern Lebanon, providing support to Hezbollah and reportedly controlling its operational activities;

Whereas the Government of the United States has enacted several laws, including the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-175) and the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-172), which call for the imposition of sanctions on Syria and Iran for, among other things, their support for terrorism and terrorist organizations;

Whereas the House of Representatives has repeatedly called for full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559;

Whereas section 1224 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228) withholds certain assistance to Lebanon contingent on the deployment of the Lebanese armed forces to the internationally recognized border between Lebanon and Israel and its effective assertion of authority in the border area in order, among other reasons, to prevent cross-border infiltration by terrorists, precisely the criminal activity that has provoked the current crisis;

Whereas President George W. Bush stated on July 12, 2006, `Hezbollah's terrorist operations threaten Lebanon's security and are an affront to the sovereignty of the Lebanese Government. Hezbollah's actions are not in the interest of the Lebanese people, whose welfare should not be held hostage to the interests of the Syrian and Iranian regimes.', and has repeatedly affirmed that Syria and Iran must be held to account for their shared responsibility in the recent attacks;

Whereas the United States recognizes that some members of the democratically-elected Lebanese parliament are working to build an autonomous and sovereign Lebanon and supports their efforts; and

Whereas both Hezbollah and Hamas refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist and call for the destruction of Israel: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
      (1) reaffirms its steadfast support for the State of Israel;
      (2) condemns Hamas and Hezbollah for engaging in unprovoked and reprehensible armed attacks against Israel on undisputed Israeli territory, for taking hostages, for killing Israeli soldiers, and for continuing to indiscriminately target Israeli civilian populations with their rockets and missiles;
      (3) further condemns Hamas and Hezbollah for cynically exploiting civilian populations as shields, locating their equipment and bases of operation, including their rockets and other armaments, amidst civilian populations, including in homes and mosques;
      (4) recognizes Israel's longstanding commitment to minimizing civilian loss and welcomes Israel's continued efforts to prevent civilian casualties;
      (5) demands the Governments of Iran and Syria to direct Hamas and Hezbollah to immediately and unconditionally release Israeli soldiers which they hold captive;
      (6) affirms that all governments that have provided continued support to Hamas or Hezbollah share responsibility for the hostage-taking and attacks against Israel and, as such, should be held accountable for their actions;
      (7) condemns the Governments of Iran and Syria for their continued support for Hezbollah and Hamas in their armed attacks against Israelis and their other terrorist activities;
      (8) supports Israel's right to take appropriate action to defend itself, including to conduct operations both in Israel and in the territory of nations which pose a threat to it, which is in accordance with international law, including Article 51 of the United Nations Charter;
      (9) commends the President of the United States for fully supporting Israel as it responds to these armed attacks by terrorist organizations and their state sponsors;
      (10) urges the President of the United States to bring the full force of political, diplomatic, and economic sanctions available to the Government of the United States against the Governments of Syria and Iran;
      (11) demands the Government of Lebanon to do everything in its power to find and free the kidnapped Israeli soldiers being held in the territory of Lebanon;
      (12) calls on the United Nations Security Council to condemn these unprovoked acts and to take action to ensure full and immediate implementation of United Nations Security Council 1559 (2004), which requires Hezbollah to be dismantled and the departure of all Syrian personnel and Iranian Revolutionary Guards from Lebanon;
      (13) expresses its condolences to all families of innocent victims of recent violence; and

      (14) declares its continued commitment to working with Israel and other United States allies in combating terrorism worldwide.

      Yeas (410)

      Ackerman
      Aderholt
      Akin
      Alexander
      Allen
      Andrews
      Baca
      Bachus
      Baird
      Baker
      Baldwin
      Barrett (SC)
      Barrow
      Bartlett (MD)
      Barton (TX)
      Bass
      Bean
      Beauprez
      Becerra
      Berkley
      Berman
      Berry
      Biggert
      Bilbray
      Bilirakis
      Bishop (GA)
      Bishop (NY)
      Bishop (UT)
      Blackburn
      Blumenauer
      Blunt
      Boehlert
      Boehner
      Bonilla
      Bonner
      Bono
      Boozman
      Boren
      Boswell
      Boucher
      Boustany
      Boyd
      Bradley (NH)
      Brady (PA)
      Brady (TX)
      Brown (OH)
      Brown (SC)
      Brown, Corrine
      Brown-Waite, Ginny
      Burgess
      Burton (IN)
      Butterfield
      Buyer
      Calvert
      Camp (MI)
      Campbell (CA)
      Cannon
      Cantor
      Capito
      Capps
      Capuano
      Cardin
      Cardoza
      Carnahan
      Carson
      Carter
      Case
      Castle
      Chabot
      Chandler
      Chocola
      Clay
      Cleaver
      Clyburn
      Coble
      Cole (OK)
      Conaway
      Cooper
      Costa
      Costello
      Cramer
      Crenshaw
      Crowley
      Cubin
      Cuellar
      Culberson
      Cummings
      Davis (AL)
      Davis (CA)
      Davis (IL)
      Davis (KY)
      Davis (TN)
      Davis, Tom
      Deal (GA)
      DeFazio
      DeGette
      Delahunt
      DeLauro
      Dent
      Diaz-Balart, L.
      Diaz-Balart, M.
      Dicks
      Doggett
      Doolittle
      Doyle
      Drake
      Dreier
      Edwards
      Ehlers
      Emanuel
      Emerson
      Engel
      English (PA)
      Eshoo
      Etheridge
      Everett
      Farr
      Fattah
      Feeney
      Ferguson
      Filner
      Fitzpatrick (PA)
      Flake
      Foley
      Forbes
      Ford
      Fossella
      Foxx
      Frank (MA)
      Franks (AZ)
      Frelinghuysen
      Gallegly
      Garrett (NJ)
      Gerlach
      Gibbons
      Gilchrest
      Gillmor



      Gingrey
      Gohmert
      Gonzalez
      Goode
      Goodlatte
      Gordon
      Granger
      Graves
      Green (WI)
      Green, Al
      Green, Gene
      Grijalva
      Gutierrez
      Gutknecht
      Hall
      Harman
      Harris
      Hart
      Hastings (FL)
      Hastings (WA)
      Hayes
      Hayworth
      Hefley
      Hensarling
      Herger
      Herseth
      Higgins
      Hinchey
      Hinojosa
      Hobson
      Hoekstra
      Holden
      Holt
      Honda
      Hooley
      Hostettler
      Hoyer
      Hulshof
      Hunter
      Hyde
      Inglis (SC)
      Inslee
      Israel
      Issa
      Istook
      Jackson (IL)
      Jackson-Lee (TX)
      Jefferson
      Jenkins
      Jindal
      Johnson (CT)
      Johnson (IL)
      Johnson, E. B.
      Johnson, Sam
      Jones (NC)
      Jones (OH)
      Kanjorski
      Keller
      Kelly
      Kennedy (MN)
      Kennedy (RI)
      Kildee
      Kind
      King (IA)
      King (NY)
      Kingston
      Kirk
      Kline
      Knollenberg
      Kolbe
      Kuhl (NY)
      LaHood
      Langevin
      Lantos
      Larsen (WA)
      Larson (CT)
      Latham
      LaTourette
      Leach
      Levin
      Lewis (CA)
      Lewis (GA)
      Lewis (KY)
      Linder
      Lipinski
      LoBiondo
      Lofgren, Zoe
      Lowey
      Lucas
      Lungren, Daniel E.
      Lynch
      Mack
      Maloney
      Manzullo
      Marchant
      Markey
      Marshall
      Matheson
      Matsui
      McCarthy
      McCaul (TX)
      McCollum (MN)
      McCotter
      McCrery
      McGovern
      McHenry
      McHugh
      McIntyre
      McKeon
      McMorris
      McNulty
      Meehan
      Meek (FL)
      Meeks (NY)
      Melancon
      Mica
      Michaud
      Millender-McDonald
      Miller (FL)
      Miller (MI)
      Miller (NC)
      Miller, Gary
      Miller, George
      Mollohan
      Moore (KS)
      Moore (WI)
      Moran (KS)
      Moran (VA)
      Murphy
      Murtha
      Musgrave
      Myrick
      Nadler
      Napolitano
      Neal (MA)
      Neugebauer
      Ney

      Norwood
      Nunes
      Oberstar
      Obey
      Olver
      Ortiz
      Osborne
      Otter
      Owens
      Oxley
      Pallone
      Pascrell
      Pastor
      Payne
      Pearce
      Pelosi
      Pence
      Peterson (MN)
      Peterson (PA)
      Petri
      Pickering
      Pitts
      Platts
      Poe
      Pombo
      Pomeroy
      Porter
      Price (GA)
      Price (NC)
      Pryce (OH)
      Putnam
      Radanovich
      Ramstad
      Rangel
      Regula
      Rehberg
      Reichert
      Renzi
      Reyes
      Reynolds
      Rogers (AL)
      Rogers (KY)
      Rogers (MI)
      Rohrabacher
      Ros-Lehtinen
      Ross
      Rothman
      Roybal-Allard
      Royce
      Ruppersberger
      Rush
      Ryan (OH)
      Ryan (WI)
      Ryun (KS)
      Sabo
      Salazar
      Sánchez, Linda T.
      Sanders
      Saxton
      Schakowsky
      Schiff
      Schmidt
      Schwartz (PA)
      Schwarz (MI)
      Scott (GA)
      Scott (VA)
      Sensenbrenner
      Serrano
      Sessions
      Shadegg
      Shaw
      Shays
      Sherman
      Sherwood
      Shimkus
      Shuster
      Simmons
      Simpson
      Skelton
      Slaughter
      Smith (NJ)
      Smith (TX)
      Smith (WA)
      Snyder
      Sodrel
      Solis
      Souder
      Spratt
      Stearns
      Strickland
      Stupak
      Sullivan
      Sweeney
      Tancredo
      Tanner
      Tauscher
      Taylor (MS)
      Taylor (NC)
      Terry
      Thomas
      Thompson (CA)
      Thompson (MS)
      Thornberry
      Tiahrt
      Tiberi
      Tierney
      Towns
      Turner
      Udall (CO)
      Udall (NM)
      Upton
      Van Hollen
      Velázquez
      Visclosky
      Walden (OR)
      Walsh
      Wamp
      Wasserman Schultz
      Watson
      Watt
      Waxman
      Weiner
      Weldon (FL)
      Weldon (PA)
      Weller
      Wexler
      Whitfield
      Wicker
      Wilson (NM)
      Wilson (SC)
      Wolf
      Woolsey
      Wu
      Wynn
      Young (AK)
      Young (FL)

      Nays (8)

      Abercrombie
      Conyers
      Dingell


      Kilpatrick (MI)
      McDermott
      Paul


      Rahall
      Stark

      Answered “Present” (4)

      Kaptur
      Kucinich



      Lee
      Waters



      Not Voting (10)

      Davis (FL)
      Davis, Jo Ann
      Duncan
      Evans


      Fortenberry
      McKinney
      Northup
      Nussle


      Sanchez, Loretta
      Westmoreland


Sources: Library of Congress