Congress & the Middle East:
House Resolution Expressing Solidarity with Israel in Fight Against Terrorism

(December 5, 2001)

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107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 280

Expressing solidarity with Israel in the fight against terrorism.

Whereas 26 innocent people in Israel were murdered in cold blood and at least 175 wounded by Palestinian terrorists, all within 14 hours, during the weekend of December 1-2, 2001;

Whereas these deaths are the equivalent, on a basis proportional to the United States population, of 1,200 American deaths and 8,000 wounded;

Whereas the President's Middle East envoy General Anthony C. Zinni has labeled the terrorism of this past weekend `the deepest evil one can imagine';

Whereas this bloody weekend is part of an ongoing terror campaign often targeted at youth and families and perpetrated by Islamic fundamentalist groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad and by some elements of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement;

Whereas President Bush declared at a joint session of Congress on September 20, 2001, that `[e]very nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime';

and Whereas President Bush declared on December 2, 2001, that `Chairman Arafat must do everything in his power to find those who murdered innocent Israelis and bring them to justice': Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That Congress

(1) condemns the vicious terrorist murders of 26 innocent people in Israel within 14 hours during December 1-2, 2001, and extends its deepest sympathies to the State of Israel and to the families of the victims;

(2) expresses outrage at the ongoing Palestinian terrorist campaign and insists that the Palestinian Authority take all steps necessary to end it;

(3) demands specifically that the Palestinian Authority take action immediately to

(A) destroy the infrastructure of Palestinian terrorist groups;

(B) pursue and arrest terrorists whose incarceration has been called for by the Government of Israel; and

(C) either

(i) prosecute such terrorists, provide convicted terrorists with the stiffest possible punishment, and ensure that those convicted remain in custody for the full duration of their sentences; or

(ii) render all arrested terrorists to the Government of Israel for prosecution;

(4) urges the President to suspend all relations with Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority, if Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority fail to take the actions described in paragraphs (2) and (3);

(5) further urges the President to insist that all countries harboring, materially supporting, or acquiescing in the private support of Palestinian terrorist groups should end such support, dismantle the infrastructure of such groups, and bring all terrorists within their borders to justice;

(6) commends the President for his strong leadership against international terrorism, his forthright response to this most recent outrage, and his swift action to freeze additional sources of terrorist funds; and

(7) expresses the solidarity of the United States with Israel in our common struggle against the scourge of terrorism.

Sources: Library of Congress