H.Res.771 - Standing with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists.

RESOLUTION

Standing with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists.

Whereas on October 7th, 2023, Hamas terrorists launched a massive, unprovoked war on Israel by air, land, and sea, including firing thousands of rockets;

Whereas this heinous assault took place just after the 50th anniversary of the start of the multi-front 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel;

Whereas Hamas terrorists crossed the land border and began slaughtering Israelis and abducting hostages in towns in southern Israel, including children and the elderly;

Whereas since October 7th, 2023, Hamas launched over 4,500 rockets into southern and central Israel;

Whereas since October 7th, 2023, Hamas terrorists have killed over 900 Israelis and injured more than 2,600 others;

Whereas at least 11 United States citizens in Israel are among those killed by Hamas since October 7th, 2023;

Whereas since October 7th, 2023, Hamas is directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians;

Whereas the expansion of this war to other fronts by Hezbollah, Iran, or others would create an even more devastating regional catastrophe;

Whereas Hamas is a United States-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization;

Whereas Iran has long provided support to Hamas and other terrorist groups and proxies, and prior United States Government unclassified assessments indicated that, Iran has historically provided up to $100 million annually in combined support to Palestinian terrorist groups, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command;

Whereas Hamas used rudimentary, civilian equipment, such as bulldozers, paragliders, and rubber boats in its assault on Israel, demonstrating the importance of fully enforcing tight controls on what materials go into the Gaza Strip, including through thorough vetting of assistance;

Whereas under the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding, the United States pledged to provide Israel $3.3 billion per year in Foreign Military Financing Program assistance and $500 million per year in missile defense for 10 years, which Congress has appropriated annually;

Whereas section 1273 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 authorized not less than $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing Program assistance for Israel for each of the fiscal years 2021 through 2028, in accordance with the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding;

Whereas Congress has responded with additional appropriations beyond the terms of the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding as needed, including in March 2022 when Congress appropriated an additional $1 billion for Iron Dome defense system after the May 2021 conflict in which Hamas launched more than 4,400 rockets at Israel; and

Whereas Israel is a major non-NATO ally and Major Strategic Partner of the United States: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives—

1. stands with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists;
2. reaffirms Israel’s right to self-defense;
3. condemns Hamas’ brutal war against Israel;
4. calls on all countries to unequivocally condemn Hamas’ brutal war against Israel;
5. calls on Hamas to immediately cease these violent attacks and safely release all living hostages and return the bodies of deceased hostages;
6. mourns the over 900 Israelis and 11 Americans killed and over 2,600 others wounded in Hamas’ unprovoked attack on Israel;
7. reaffirms the United States’ commitment to Israel’s security, including through security assistance in accordance with the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding;
8. urges full enforcement of the Taylor Force Act (title X of division S of Public Law 115–141; 132 Stat. 1143) and other restrictions in United States law to prevent United States foreign assistance from benefiting terrorists, directly or indirectly;
9. condemns Iran’s support for terrorist groups and proxies, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad;
10. urges full enforcement of United States sanctions against Iran to prevent Iran’s funding of terrorist groups, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad; and
11. stands ready to assist Israel with emergency resupply and other security, diplomatic, and intelligence support.