America Stands with Israel Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States: (1) supports Israel's right to defend itself; (2) supports Israel's naval blockade of Gaza; and (3) should oppose any investigation by the United Nations (U.N.) into the flotilla incident (involving the May 2010 Israeli interception of ships carrying supplies to Gaza).
Requires the Secretary of State to direct the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations to cease U.S. participation in and membership on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Prohibits the Secretary from contributing any funds to the United Nations for an investigation into the flotilla incident.
Directs the Secretary to ensure that no U.S. contributions to the United Nations are used for any such investigation, including by withholding from U.S. contributions to the regularly assessed biennial budget of the United Nations amounts equal to any amounts so expended.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5501 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5501
To prohibit United States participation on the United Nations Human
Rights Council (UNHRC) and prohibit contributions to the United Nations
for the purpose of paying for any United Nations investigation into the
flotilla incident.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 10, 2010
Mr. King of New York (for himself, Mr. Pence, Mrs. McMorris Rodgers,
Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. McKeon, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Rogers of Alabama,
Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Tiahrt, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Buchanan, Mr.
Latta, Mr. Chaffetz, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. Culberson,
Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. Roskam, Mr. Austria, Mr. Olson, Mr.
Broun of Georgia, Mr. Posey, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Miller
of Michigan, Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California, Mr. Lee of New York,
Mr. Carter, Mr. McClintock, Mr. Coble, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina,
Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Lewis of California, Mr. Calvert, Mr.
Gallegly, Mr. Terry, Mr. Kirk, and Mr. Bishop of Utah) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit United States participation on the United Nations Human
Rights Council (UNHRC) and prohibit contributions to the United Nations
for the purpose of paying for any United Nations investigation into the
flotilla incident.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``America Stands with Israel Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) A state of armed conflict exists between Israel and the
Hamas regime controlling Gaza. Hamas has launched 10,000
rockets against Israeli civilians, and is presently smuggling
in arms and military supplies into Gaza, by land and sea, in
order to fortify its positions and continue its attacks.
(2) Under international law, Israel has the right to
protect the lives of its civilians from Hamas attacks, and,
consequently, has undertaken measures to defend itself,
including the imposition of a maritime blockade to curb Hamas
rearmament. Under international maritime law, when a maritime
blockade is in effect, no vessels can enter the blockaded area.
Its use of force for soldiers to defend themselves is also
acceptable under international law.
(3) Hamas is a terrorist organization recognized by the
United States and the European Union whose charter calls for
the destruction of Israel. Hamas has also illegally taken
control of Gaza and has used rockets, mortars, and suicide
bombs to kill hundreds of Israelis and Americans inside of
Israel, which it continues to this day.
(4) Hamas is funded and directly supported by Iran which
uses it as a proxy to fight Israel. In addition, Iran recently
announced it would send Iranian ships to escort future ships
attempting to break the Gaza blockade.
(5) In 2002, Israel intercepted the Karine A which was
found to be carrying 50 tons of weapons destined for Hamas and,
in 2009, Israel intercepted the Francop carrying hundreds of
tons of weapons destined for Hezbollah.
(6) Israel allows approximately 15,000 tons of supplies to
enter Gaza on a daily basis. In the last 18 months over a
million tons of humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza from
Israel.
(7) Even though Israel repeatedly warned the flotilla it
would not be allowed entry in to Gaza and offered to deliver to
Gaza the humanitarian goods that the flotilla was carrying,
Israel was rebuffed.
(8) Greta Berlin, one of the leaders of the flotilla,
admitted the purpose was not to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza
but rather to end the blockade.
(9) The main organizer of the flotilla was the Turkish
Humanitarian Relief Foundation, which has publicly affirmed its
links to Hamas, maintains an office in Gaza, and has ties to
other terrorist organizations, including al-Qaeda, and several
of the passengers on the flotilla have links or have provided
financial support to Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and al-
Qaeda.
(10) According to its Web site, the United Nations Human
Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the United
Nations consisting of 47 countries responsible for
strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights
around the globe. However, its members include such notorious
violators of human rights as China, Cuba, Egypt, Saudi Arabia,
and Russia. In addition, the Human Rights Council has produced
the deeply flawed and biased United Nations Fact Finding
Mission on the Gaza Conflict (Goldstone Report) which was
rejected by the Obama Administration and Congress, and at least
27 resolutions specifically condemning Israel.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF CONGRESS.
Congress declares that the United States stands with the Government
of Israel and the Israeli people.
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the United States--
(1) supports Israel's unconditional right to defend itself;
(2) supports Israel's naval blockade of Gaza; and
(3) should oppose any United Nations investigation into the
flotilla incident.
SEC. 5. ACTIONS AT THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL; PROHIBITION
ON CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS.
(a) Cessation of Membership.--The Secretary of State shall direct
the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to
cease United States participation in and membership on the United
Nations Human Rights Council.
(b) Prohibition on Certain Contributions.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State may not contribute
to the United Nations any funds to be used to pay for an
investigation into the flotilla incident.
(2) Recapture.--The Secretary of State shall ensure that no
United States contributions to the United Nations are used for
an investigation into the flotilla incident, including, where
necessary, by withholding from United States contributions to
the regularly assessed biennial budget of the United Nations
amounts equal to any amounts so expended.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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