2013 Briefing Book - Print Version - Aipac

ISRAEL AT RISK
What Congress Has Done to Oppose the
Delegitimization of Israel
Supported Israel Against Palestinian Attacks at U.N. The 2012 foreign aid
appropriations bill mandates that aid to the Palestinians would be cut and the PLO
office closed if they achieved statehood status at the U.N. or any specialized agencies.
When the Palestinian leadership violated these principles by achieving an upgraded
U.N. status, the House condemned it in a December 2012 letter signed by 240
members. Congress also continued its support for current law that would cut off U.S.
funding to any U.N. agency that admitted “Palestine” as a member state.
Backed Israel’s Inclusion in International Organizations. During the past decade, members
of Congress helped advance Israel’s membership in such groups as the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and backed the inclusion of Magen
David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service, in the International Committee of the
Red Cross. Similarly, Congress has encouraged the United States to help Israel gain full
membership in the United Nations’ Western European and Others (WEOG) regional
group, which greatly enhances Israel’s ability to participate in various U.N. bodies.
Backed Israel’s Right to Self-Defense Against Hamas and Hizballah Attacks. The House
and Senate resoundingly passed resolutions in January 2009 and November 2012
voicing support for Israel’s right to defend its citizens against thousands of rocket
attacks by Hamas. In July 2006, the House and Senate overwhelmingly passed
resolutions backing Israel’s right to self-defense in the wake of Hizballah’s kidnapping
of Israeli soldiers and firing of thousands of rockets at Israel.
Condemned the Goldstone Report. In November 2009, the House overwhelmingly passed
a resolution calling on the president and the secretary of state to oppose unequivocally
any endorsement or further consideration by the United Nations or other international
fora of the Goldstone Report on the Gaza war. The resolution called the report
“irredeemably biased” and noted that it “is being exploited by Israel’s enemies to excuse
the actions of violent militant groups and their state sponsors.”
Condemned the U.N. Human Rights Council. The House overwhelmingly passed a
resolution in September 2007 condemning the U.N. Human Rights Council for
unfairly and incessantly criticizing Israel while ignoring severe human rights abuses
in other countries.
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