Congressman Lawler Introduces Bipartisan Stand With Israel Act to Confront Anti-Israel Bias at the UN
“Once passed, this legislation will ensure that no U.S. funding be available for the UN if ‘it expels, downgrades or suspends membership, or otherwise restricts the participation of Israel in the U.N.’ The ZOA heartily endorses this legislation, to help protect our strong ally, Israel, which is, even now, fighting the Western democratic world’s fight against the Jihadist regime in Iran, and that nation’s Jihadist puppets in Gaza, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen,” said Morton Klein, national president of the Zionist Organization of America.
Pearl River, NY, August 19, 2024
Today, Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY-17) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) announced their introduction of the Stand with Israel Act, which will require the withholding of U.S. funding to UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel. The bill is modeled after the current prohibition of funding to any UN entities that elevate the status of the Palestinian Authority to a member state.
The Stand with Israel Act is endorsed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), FDD Action, Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and Heritage Action. It is co-led by Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) and its original co-sponsors are Representatives Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Randy Weber (R-TX-14), Randy Feenstra (R-IA-04), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Maria Salazar (R-FL-27), Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR-05), Tim Burchett (R-TN-02), Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY-04), Greg Steube (R-FL-17), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ-07), Brandon Williams (R-NY-22), Neal Dunn (R-FL-02), Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), Clay Higgins (R-LA-03), Nick LaLota (R-NY-01), Lance Gooden (R-TX-05), French Hill (R-AR-02), Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21), and Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23).
“With anti-Israel bias running rampant at the UN, it is more crucial than ever that we stand up to this disgusting hypocrisy and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our closest ally,” said Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY-17). “We should not be giving a single cent to any UN agency that diminishes the status of Israel – and the Stand with Israel Act will ensure that we don’t should this happen in the future. I’m grateful for the broad support for this legislation from so many organizations and from colleagues in both parties. I look forward to getting this important legislation passed and I will always stand with our friend Israel.”
“The United Nations has been biased and almost useless after Hamas murdered over a thousand innocent Israelis, but has held Israel to a ridiculous, antisemitic double standard when it has exercised its right to defend itself,” said Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23). “The UN should be using its power to pressure Hamas every day to accept a ceasefire and return the hostages. Any UN agency that is seeking to punish Israel for this war should not be funded with Americans’ tax dollars.”
“Antisemitism must be met with unwavering and resolute rejection, whether from individuals or international institutions. The UN’s persistent anti-Israel bias is no exception. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, I am committed to ensuring our friends in Israel are supported and that we are fighting back against antisemitism on every front. The Stand with Israel Act sends a clear message: America will not fund or enable any entity that seeks to undermine, delegitimize, or target the Jewish state. This legislation reaffirms that those who perpetuate anti-Israel sentiment will face consequences for their actions, and the United States will stand firmly with our ally Israel,” said Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01).
“The international community has long unfairly scrutinized and ostracized Israel at the U.N. Now, as countries and organizations around the world engage in antisemitic, anti-Israel rhetoric, we must ensure that our key democratic ally in the Middle East has a full voice at the United Nations. That’s why I’m proud to lead the Stand with Israel Act with my Problem Solvers Caucus colleague Congressman Mike Lawler,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (R-NJ-05).
“Antisemitism is never acceptable and that includes institutional antisemitism. The outrageous bias against Israel evident in the U.N. must be met with consequences. I stand with America’s friend and ally Israel, which is why I am proud to cosponsor the Stand with Israel Act to ensure accountability if Israel is expelled from or its membership is downgraded, suspended, or otherwise restricted at any U.N. agency,” said Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02).
“There has been a startling amount of anti-Israel bias found at the United Nations, and it is vital that American taxpayer dollars are never used to fund antisemitic hatred being advanced by any UN agency. I am proud to co-sponsor the Stand with Israel Act to ensure American financial support to the United Nations is not used to undermine our nation’s greatest ally in the midst of their fight for survival against terrorist entities,” said Congressman Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY-04).
“I join Congressman Mike Lawler and my colleagues in standing with Israel and supporting this legislation to restrict funds for UN entities that target our ally. During this concerning time when Israel is fighting terrorist organizations for its existence and rising anti-Semitism is being witnessed throughout the world, we must do our part to hold institutions that allow anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric and actions accountable and certainly, we should not be funding them,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11).
“The UN’s contempt for Israel should not come as a surprise, given what we know about UNWRA’s direct financial ties to Hamas terrorists. The United States must stand with Israel throughout its struggle for survival,” said Congressman Brandon Williams (R-NY-22).
“The United States must remain steadfast in its commitment to support Israel as it rightfully defends itself against Palestinian terrorism and retaliates for the heinous attacks targeting innocent Israeli civilians. Not a single dime of U.S. tax dollars should be sent to the United Nations if it begins punishing Israel for exercising its right to self-defense against a terrorist organization. The Stand with Israel Act reaffirms the United States’ profound commitment to our greatest ally and ensures that entities baselessly villainizing Israel face consequences,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24).
“Not a single penny of American taxpayer dollars, whether directly or indirectly, should be used by any institution that seeks to undermine Israel’s sovereignty and security, especially by the United Nations. The UN’s clearly biased actions towards Israel is unacceptable and completely counterproductive to the goal of peace and stability. I feel it is crucial that Republicans and Democrats stand together to ensure that America will not be turning a blind eye to those working to undermine Israel’s sovereignty,” said Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ-07).
“Confirmation that nine UNRWA employees may have participated on October 7 attacks, the worst pogrom since the Holocaust, is merely the latest example of the United Nations’ relentless record of hostility towards Israel. It’s long past time to hold the UN accountable. JINSA fully supports congressional efforts to ensure anti-Israel grandstanding is no longer a cost-free endeavor at the UN,” said Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Makovsky, PhD.
“Congress should hold the UN accountable for using U.S. taxpayer money to support malicious campaigns against the State of Israel. Any international organization that routinely singles out Israel for discriminatory treatment should not receive U.S. funding. FDD Action supports Congress’ oversight activities that bring much-needed scrutiny to the pervasive anti-Israel bias at the UN and elsewhere in the international community,” said FDD Action.
“Congressman Lawler and the members of both parties who have cosponsored this bill understand what the Biden-Harris administration does not – that standing with Israel means standing up to anti-Israel UN bureaucrats who are working overtime to isolate and punish the Jewish state. By passing the Stand with Israel Act, Congress will send a clear message to the UN: American taxpayers won’t tolerate your antisemitic vendetta,” said Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) CEO Matt Brooks and RJC Chairman, Senator Norm Coleman.
“CAM is proud to endorse the Stand with Israel Act introduced by Representative Mike Lawler. This bipartisan legislation sends a clear message that the American people stand firmly with Israel in its fight to defend itself in the aftermath of October 7th. By ensuring that U.S. funding to UN agencies is contingent on the fair treatment of Israel, this act reinforces America’s commitment to combating bias and discrimination on the global stage. We commend Representative Lawler and his colleagues in the House of Representatives for their strong leadership in taking action to safeguard Israel’s rightful place in international organizations, and encourage the swift passage of this critical legislation,” said Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).
“The United Nations has a long and disreputable history of virulent antisemitism regarding its hateful treatment of Israel, the lone Jewish state in the world. Congressman Lawler has introduced the Stand with Israel Act to address this disgusting bias. Once passed, this legislation will ensure that no U.S. funding be available for the United Nations (or any other international organization) if ‘it expels, downgrades or suspends membership, or otherwise restricts the participation of Israel in the U.N.’ The ZOA heartily endorses this legislation, to help protect our strong ally, Israel, which is, even now, fighting the Western democratic world’s fight against the Jihadist regime in Iran, and that nation’s Jihadist puppets in Gaza, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. ZOA thanks Representative Lawler for his leadership on this issue and in the U.S. Congress,” said Morton A. Klein, National President of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA).
“Anyone opposing this legislation is not only acknowledging the UN hates Israel, but they’re also happy to subsidize the same with our taxpayer dollars. The Stand with Israel Act is a bipartisan effort to make clear that the institutionalized antisemitism plaguing the UN will have a cost. We are deeply grateful to Representatives Lawler and Moskowitz for their consistent and strong leadership in the face of international Jew-hatred,” said Christians United for Israel (CUFI) Action Fund Chairwoman Sandra Parker.
“Israel’s strategic importance as America’s closest ally in the Middle East is critical to national security at home and abroad. It’s disturbing to see Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and other elected officials join some of our so-called ‘friends’ at the United Nations in ignoring antisemitic activists who regularly praise Hamas and the tragedy on October 7, 2023. Heritage Action urges all members to support Rep. Lawler’s Stand with Israel Act to stop taxpayer funds from flowing to members of the U.N. who placate the terrorists who want to eliminate the only Jewish state in the world,” said Heritage Action.
Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the 118th Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.
The original press release can be viewed on Cong. Mike Lawler’s website here.