The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) applauds House passage last night of H.Res.951, a bi-partisan resolution condemning the ongoing Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and supporting the sovereign right of the Government of Israel to defend its territory and stop the rocket attacks on its citizens; the ZOA also praises the Republican Study Committee for originally authoring the resolution, and Reps. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), and Shelley Berkley (D-NV) for introducing it. This resolution is a clear re-statement of the strong support and friendship the United States House of Representatives has for the State of Israel.
Israel has endured a continuing and incessant barrage of missiles and Kassam rockets from Gaza. This onslaught began to intensify under Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah-dominated PA, before Hamas came to power, following Israel’s unilateral withdrawal in which almost 10,000 Jews were forcibly removed from their homes in Gaza in 2005. This terrorizing blitz has continued with greater volume, wider range and increased accuracy under Hamas using Iranian supplied Katusha rockets. This increased range has brought 250,000 Israeli civilians directly into harm’s way, hitting Sderot, Ashkelon and the Western Negev. More than 1,100 rockets and mortars were fired into Israel in 2006 and more than 2,000 bombarded Israel in 2007. More than 4,000 rockets have been fired since Israel‘s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, and in the last several weeks alone, 50 rockets have been launched against Israeli civilians each day.
Daniel Pollak and Joshua London of ZOA’s Division of Government Relations in Washington, DC said: “We are pleased to have been in the forefront of the efforts to build broad support for this bi-partisan resolution, which not only demonstrates, yet again, the strong relationship between the United States and Israel, it is also a much appreciated reminder of the clarity with which the US House of Representatives approaches the security and geopolitical realities on the ground in Israel. As the resolution makes clear, some of these Palestinian rockets are Iranian produced and are smuggled into Gaza through Egypt, and the Palestinian terrorists are being trained in their use by Iran and by Syria. With this clear statement of facts on the ground, we strongly urge members of Congress to take their support a step further, and translate their resolve into substantive legislation that would effectively stop the flow of weapons and funds to the terrorists who launch attacks in Israel and their non-moderate cheerleaders in the Palestinian Authority.”
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “This terror campaign whose purpose is to murder as many Jews as possible and destroy as much Israeli property as possible, has caused thousands of Israelis to leave their homes. These attacks have already caused dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries. Israel is fortunate that the loss of life has not been greater, but as the Iranian and Syrian supplied technical expertise continues to support the Palestinian terrorists much more than good luck will be needed. Sadly, even Israel‘s minimal and restrained defensive response has resulted in a barrage of harsh and relentless criticism against Israel — as if any other nation on the planet would even hesitate about defending itself against such a terror campaign. In such a time when the nations of the world never stop criticizing Israel’s every action, it is refreshing to be reminded that the US Congress remains a moral rock of Gibraltar and condemns these Palestinian rocket attacks and expresses its unqualified support for Israel’s self-defense.”
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The Zionist Organization of America, founded in 1897, is the oldest pro-Israel organization in the United States. The ZOA works to strengthen U.S.-Israel relations, educates the American public and Congress about the dangers that Israel faces, and combats anti-Israel bias in the media and on college campuses. Its past presidents have included Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis and Rabbi Dr. Abba Hillel Silver.
