SR0991 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0991 LRB097 23517 GRL 72476 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Hamas was founded with the stated goal of destroying the State of Israel; and

WHEREAS, Hamas has been designated by the United States Secretary of State as a Foreign Terrorist Organization; and

WHEREAS, Hamas refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce violence, and accept previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians; and

WHEREAS, Hamas has launched thousands of rockets and missiles since Israel dismantled settlements and withdrew from Gaza in 2005; and

WHEREAS, Terrorists in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip have fired approximately 900 rockets and missile shells into Israel this year, an increase from roughly 675 attacks in 2011 and 350 in 2010; and

WHEREAS, Hamas has increased the range of its rockets, reportedly with support from Iran and others; these rockets put additional numbers of Israelis in danger of rocket attacks from Gaza; and

WHEREAS, There are many public and private connections between the State of Illinois and the State of Israel and a desire to deepen and expand mutual opportunities; and

WHEREAS, On November 14, 2012, President Barack Obama condemned the rocket fire from Gaza into Israel and reiterated Israel's right to self-defense; and

WHEREAS, Israel, a fellow democracy, has an inherent right to self defense in the face of terrorist attacks; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we express our unwavering commitment to the security of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure borders and recognize and strongly support its inherent right to act in self-defense to protect its citizens against acts of terrorism; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we state our unequivocal belief that Hamas must end Gaza-linked terrorist rocket and missile attacks against Israel, recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce violence, and agree to accept previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the United Nations Security Council to condemn the recent spike in Gaza-linked terrorist missile attacks against Israel, which risk causing civilian casualties in both Israel and Gaza; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage the President to continue to work diplomatically with the international community to prevent Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist organizations from retaining or rebuilding the capability to launch rockets and missiles against Israel.