The House and Senate have now passed separate resolutions in solidarity with Israel. 

 

 Jan. 9, 2009 – 1:43 p.m.

House Adopts Measure Backing Israel on ‘Durable’ Gaza Truce

By Adam Graham-Silverman, CQ Staff

The House overwhelmingly adopted a resolution Friday to express solidarity with Israel and condemn the Islamist group Hamas for its role in the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel.

The non-binding measure (H Res 34), adopted 390-5, calls for a “durable and sustainable” cease-fire.

During floor debate, some supporters of the resolution sought to balance Israel’s right to self-defense with the loss of life on both sides.

“I have no trouble justifying the war Israel has undertaken. I am deeply troubled, however, by the suffering, destruction, and loss of innocent life that war inevitably entails,” said Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard L. Berman , D-Calif. “It is imperative that a way be found to stop the killing on both sides – but in a manner that will ensure that this round will be the last round.”

Others were less measured.

“While Israel seeks to lie aside a Palestinian state, Hamas seeks to kill or expel every Jew in the Middle East,” said Rep. Brad Sherman , D-Calif., chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Nonproliferation, Terrorism and Trade. “Hamas proudly holds the flag of ethnic cleansing.”

Democrats Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio and Lois Capps of California, and Texas Republican Ron Paul spoke against the measure. Paul, the lone GOP “no” vote, said the resolution was not in U.S. or Israeli interests and arming Israel leaves the United States with a moral responsibility for Palestinian deaths.

“There’s a political liability which I think is something that we fail to look at because too often there’s so much blowback from our intervention in areas that we shouldn’t be involved in,” Paul said.

Twenty-two members voted present, including Keith Ellison , D-Minn., one of two Muslim members. Ellison said he supported Israel’s rights but the measure did not do enough to encourage peace.

“Hopefully we can urge this Congress to not simply declare its support of its ally but  . . .  actually move its ally and the rest of the region toward a more durable, sustainable, final solution to this conflict,” he said.

In March 2008, the House voted 401-1 to condemn rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza. In that case, Paul was the only vote against, while four Democrats voted present.

Friday’s measure calls for a “durable and sustainable” cease-fire, which American and Israeli officials say must prevent Hamas from rearming and continuing attacks.

The resolution calls on Hamas to end its rocket attacks, but makes no mention of Israel’s bombing or ground attacks. It says the humanitarian situation in Gaza is “becoming more acute” and humanitarian needs should be addressed “promptly and responsibly.” It offers condolences to all victims and says “the lives of innocent civilians must be protected to the maximum extent possible.”

It also calls on countries to place blame on Hamas for ending a six-month cease-fire and for the resulting casualties, and to condemn the group for embedding itself among civilians. It urges Egypt to stop the smuggling of arms and other goods across its border into Gaza.

The Senate adopted a similar measure (S Res 10) by voice vote Thursday.

The language is a sort of mirror image of a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire. That measure, approved 14-0 Thursday with the United States abstaining, emphasizes humanitarian issues and makes no direct mention of Hamas.

“As the ancient rabbi stated, those who are merciful to the cruel, as the U.N. has been, will end up being cruel to the merciful — in this case, Israel,” commented Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, the ranking Republican on the Foreign Affairs panel.

 

Sidney Jacobson: For peace, Hamas must recognize Israel

For peace, Hamas must recognize Israel

January 9, 2009 Des Moines Register

In 2005, the Israeli government unilaterally withdrew from the entire Gaza Strip with the expressed hope that a constructive government would be put in place.

An infrastructure of sophisticated agricultural greenhouses was left in place as an economic start. The result was a total destruction of the greenhouses. In addition, literally thousands of Qassam rockets launched from Gaza have rained down on the civilian population of southern Israel.

Where has the outrage of the world been as the Hamas-led government of Gaza either launched rocket after rocket or encouraged other terrorist groups under their protection to launch rockets specifically targeting a civilian population? Targeting a civilian population is a war crime.

The Israeli government should and will be held accountable for its actions. I do not believe the Hamas terrorist entity is being held or will be held accountable for its actions and crimes against humanity. Until such time as the Palestinian people and governmental entities that represent them recognize the legitimacy of the state of Israel, there cannot be peace in the Middle East.

- Sidney Jacobson, Des Moines

Judy Deutch:  Rocket attacks on Israeli civilians must stop

Rocket attacks create constant fear in Israel

January 9, 2009  Des Moines Register

In November, I took my first trip to Israel. I spent time in Sderot, a low-income community of roughly 15,000 people. It is 1.5 miles from Gaza.

I learned firsthand that rockets from Gaza have been falling on Sderot's civilians for eight years.

Some of the schools have been reinforced to withstand Kassam attacks because buildings in Sderot have been badly damaged by the rockets. People have been killed and injured. Children have been traumatized because of the frequent attacks. When a warning sounds, the children have about 10 seconds to run to a safe place. Teachers have tried to help students ease their fears by teaching a song they can all sing together. Nevertheless, they live in constant fear.

It is obvious that these attacks on civilians must stop. Israel has no choice but to prevent Hamas from smuggling in, from stockpiling and launching rockets.

- Judy Deutch, Clive

Neil Salowitz: Israel must defend itself, but it still desires peace

January 9, 2009 Guest column: Israel must defend itself, but it still desires peace NEIL SALOWITZ is president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines. Contact: neil@dmjfed.org "If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I would do everything to stop that, and would expect Israel to do the same thing." - Barack Obama, July 23, 2008, Sderot, Israel Imagine that for the past eight years, terrorists from outside the United States have fired thousands of rockets toward Iowa. Some of them have hit the schools your children attend, the church where you worship, the stores at which you shop. You and your family have been under constant fear of rocket attack - for eight years. How would you react? Would you want the U.S. government to "negotiate" with the people threatening your family? Would you want our government to respond "proportionately," whatever that means? Would you want our government to put a stop to the rocket attacks by whatever means necessary? The Israeli government is now engaged in a battle against Hamas, which has been branded a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union, and which has as one of its stated missions the destruction of the Jewish state. For the past eight years, Israelis have been subjected to nonstop terrorism in the form of Hamas rockets. Several years ago, the Israeli government negotiated a cease-fire with Hamas. The rocket attacks continued unabated despite the cease-fire. The agreement was formally broken by Hamas in December, and the rocket attacks against innocent civilians intensified until Israel took its recent steps to defend its citizens, first with an air campaign and now with ground forces. Israel took this action only after warning Hamas repeatedly that it would not continue to tolerate deliberate attacks on its citizens. The world, which was silent for eight years while Hamas repeatedly targeted Israeli civilians, has now suddenly found its voice, condemning Israel for doing what we would want our own government to do if someone were attacking the United States. The world ignores the fact that the Israel Defense Forces are taking steps to minimize civilian Palestinian casualties, going as far as calling Palestinians and dropping leaflets to warn of impending strikes. The world also turns a blind eye to the fact that Israel has been sending trucks into Gaza with humanitarian supplies. What other country would do that in the midst of a war? Contrast this behavior with that of Hamas, which callously uses innocent Palestinians as human shields and stores weaponry (much of which is supplied by Iran) in houses, schools, hospitals and mosques. In these circumstances, civilian casualties, always tragic, are inevitable. Hamas bears the responsibility for those casualties by deliberately putting Palestinian civilians in harm's way. Despite the current Israeli course of action to protect and defend its citizens - a course of action that has been forced upon Israel by a terrorist organization - I believe that Israelis fervently hope for the day when just and lasting peace will come to the region. The Israelis to whom I've talked have no problem with a two-state solution to the conflict in the Middle East. They simply want what the citizens of every country want - to be able to tuck their children into bed at night without fear of physical harm. In May 1948, the state of Israel declared its independence. Within hours, the combined might of five Arab armies attacked the nascent state. Israel defeated those armies in battle. Since that time, Israel has been attacked again and again, and has been forced to defend itself. The current situation is no different. Israel's actions are designed to change the security equation in order to make Israelis safe. Israel is not fighting the Palestinian people; it is fighting the terrorists who have hijacked Gaza, terrorists whose intransigence harms Palestinians as well as Israelis. Once Israel has met its security objectives and a more robust, verifiable cease-fire has been put in place to protect innocent Israeli citizens, Israelis and Palestinians of goodwill can continue on the road to true peace.