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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1562 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1562

 Condemning President Erdogan and his regime for issuing destabilizing 
 statements following the attacks on the State of Israel on October 7, 
  2023, endangering the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's mission, 
    threatening the territorial integrity of neighboring countries, 
  supporting terrorism, and fostering antisemitic behavior around the 
                                 globe.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 1, 2024

Ms. Titus (for herself, Mr. Schneider, and Mr. Bilirakis) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Condemning President Erdogan and his regime for issuing destabilizing 
 statements following the attacks on the State of Israel on October 7, 
  2023, endangering the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's mission, 
    threatening the territorial integrity of neighboring countries, 
  supporting terrorism, and fostering antisemitic behavior around the 
                                 globe.

Whereas Recep Tayyip Erdogan has led the Republic of Turkiye as Prime Minister 
        from 2003 until 2014, and President since 2014;
Whereas statements made by President Erdogan and his regime have been 
        sympathetic to Hamas, a United States-designated foreign terrorist 
        organization, in its war to destroy Israel, emboldening malign groups 
        that do not support democracy;
Whereas antisemitic statements made by President Erdogan and his regime risk 
        motivating nefarious actors seeking to undermine the North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization (NATO) as weak and divided;
Whereas inflammatory statements on behalf of the Republic of Turkiye may 
        perpetuate the rising trend of antisemitism throughout the world;
Whereas the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported that antisemitic incidents in 
        the United States skyrocketed 360 percent following the Hamas attack on 
        Israel;
Whereas, in October 2023, President Erdogan stated that ``Hamas is not a 
        terrorist organization, it is a liberation group'';
Whereas, in November 2023, President Erdogan called Israeli Prime Minister 
        Benjamin Netanyahu ``the butcher of Gaza'' without mention of Hamas 
        atrocities in the region such as their execution of approximately 1,200 
        innocent people and more than 250 individuals taken hostage, including 
        United States citizens;
Whereas, in December 2023, President Erdogan equated the actions of Israeli 
        Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to that of Hitler and, on September 
        24, 2024, President Erdogan repeated this during the United Nations 
        General Assembly's High-Level Week;
Whereas, in April 2024, President Erdogan's regime placed restrictions on 
        exports to Israel, and announced an end to all trade in May 2024;
Whereas, in May 2024, President Erdogan's regime falsely deemed Israel's actions 
        in the Gaza Strip a genocide of Palestinians by saying ``I repeat my 
        call for the Israeli leadership to never expand the scope of its attacks 
        on civilians and to immediately end its operations amounting to 
        genocide'';
Whereas, in May 2024, the Republic of Turkiye announced that it would apply to 
        be a coplaintiff in the case South Africa v. Israel that South Africa 
        brought forward to the International Court of Justice that falsely 
        asserts Israel violated its obligations under the Genocide Convention 
        due to its conduct in the Gaza Strip;
Whereas, in July 2024, President Erdogan threatened to invade the State of 
        Israel and stated, ``We must be very strong so that Israel can't do 
        these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just like we entered Karabakh, 
        just like we entered Libya, we might do similar to them'';
Whereas, in July 2024, President Erdogan stated, ``Until comprehensive, 
        sustainable peace is established in Palestine, attempts at cooperation 
        with Israel within NATO will not be approved by Turkiye'';
Whereas President Erdogan's obstruction of NATO cooperation with Israel 
        undermines broader transatlantic security, counterterrorism efforts, and 
        the need for a cohesive NATO policy against common threats;
Whereas President Erdogan has repeatedly hosted United States-designated senior 
        Hamas leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, Khaled Meshaal, and Saleh al-
        Arouri;
Whereas, on August 2, 2024, President Erdogan declared a day of mourning for 
        Ismail Haniyeh, and the Embassy of Turkiye in Tel Aviv lowered its flag 
        to half-mast in Haniyeh's honor;
Whereas, on August 28, 2024, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal called on Palestinians 
        to carry out suicide bombings against Israelis while speaking at a 
        conference in Istanbul, Turkiye;
Whereas, on September 3, 2024, the United States Department of Justice announced 
        terrorism, murder conspiracy, and sanctions-evasion charges against six 
        senior Hamas leaders, including Khaled Meshaal;
Whereas, on October 9, 2024, Erdogan called Israel a ``Zionist terrorist 
        organization'';
Whereas, on October 18, 2024, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Turkiye 
        expressed condolences to the Hamas Political Bureau for the death of 
        Yahya Sinwar, the former Chairman and leader of Hamas and architect of 
        the October 7 attack on Israel;
Whereas President Erdogan has used inflammatory language against Greece, a 
        fellow NATO ally, to undermine the peace and security of its democratic 
        neighbor;
Whereas Turkiye assisted in Azerbaijan's repression and expulsion of Armenians 
        living in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023;
Whereas, during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly's High-
        Level Week, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of Turkey's 
        illegal invasion of Cyprus, President Erdogan unjustifiably asserted 
        that Turkiye has legitimate claims to the northern half of Cyprus and 
        that Turkish Cypriots have territorial rights across the island;
Whereas the House of Representatives recognizes that on August 1, 2024, 
        notwithstanding Erdogan's destabilizing rhetoric and actions, the 
        Republic of Turkiye played an integral role in brokering an extensive 
        prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia, allowing 16 
        United States and European prisoners to come home;
Whereas, in 2024, the Republic of Turkiye has allocated about 2.09 percent of 
        its gross domestic product (GDP) to its own defense spending, exceeding 
        NATO's targets, to ensure that countries in NATO achieve military 
        readiness;
Whereas greater military cooperation between the United States and Turkiye 
        should be contingent upon Turkiye's reliability within NATO and 
        adherence to international norms regarding human rights and 
        counterterrorism efforts;
Whereas the United States Congress plays a critical role in oversight of 
        government-to-government foreign military sales of major defense 
        equipment; and
Whereas President Erdogan and the Republic of Turkiye could be a far more 
        effective partner of the United States if President Erdogan refrained 
        from engaging in any further destabilizing, antagonistic, and 
        antisemitic rhetoric or behavior moving forward: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) urges the Republic of Turkiye to stand with Israel's 
        right to exist and its war against terrorism;
            (2) condemns President Erdogan's support for Hamas leaders 
        and urges the Republic of Turkiye to immediately denounce Hamas 
        and other Iranian allies and proxy organizations;
            (3) urges President Erdogan and his administration to 
        refrain from blocking the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's 
        cooperation with Israel at a time when the Islamic Republic of 
        Iran and its terrorist proxies pose a growing threat to the 
        region and the transatlantic alliance;
            (4) urges the Republic of Turkiye to fulfill its treaty 
        obligations and extradite to the United States any Hamas 
        members located in Turkiye and wanted by the United States;
            (5) condemns President Erdogan's destabilizing and 
        threatening rhetoric towards its democratic neighbors, 
        especially Greece and the Republic of Cyprus;
            (6) urges the Biden administration to pause further 
        transfers or sales of United States-made fighter jets to the 
        Republic of Turkiye; and
            (7) urges President Erdogan and his administration to 
        subdue its divisive antisemitic and destabilizing rhetoric.
                                 <all>
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