III 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 517 

Expressing support for Israel’s right to defend itself and calling on Hamas 

to immediately cease all rocket and other attacks against Israel. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 24, 2014 

Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. SCHUMER, Ms. AYOTTE, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. 

RUBIO, and Mr. BLUMENTHAL) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for Israel’s right to defend itself and 

calling on Hamas to immediately cease all rocket and 

other attacks against Israel. 

Whereas, on July 17, 2014, the Senate unanimously passed 

a resolution supporting Israel’s absolute right to defend 

its citizens and ensure the survival of the State of Israel, 

condemning the actions of Hamas, and calling for the 

President of the Palestinian Authority to dissolve the 

unity government with Hamas; 

Whereas, since June 2014, Hamas has fired over 1,800 rockets at Israel; 

Whereas Hamas has used a system of tunnels to smuggle 

weapons and launch attacks on Israel; 


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•SRES 517 IS 

Whereas, since ground operations in Gaza began, the Israeli 

Defense Forces (IDF) have discovered 28 of these tunnels whose only purpose is to kill and kidnap Israelis; 

Whereas Hamas’ weapons arsenal includes approximately 

12,000 rockets that vary in range; 

Whereas innocent Israeli civilians are indiscriminately targeted by Hamas rocket attacks; 

Whereas 5,000,000 Israelis are currently living under the 

threat of rocket attacks from Gaza; 

Whereas the Iron Dome system has saved countless lives inside Israel; 

Whereas, consistent with Article 51 of the United Nations 

charter, which recognizes a nation’s right to self-defense, 

Israel must be allowed to take any actions necessary to 

remove those threats; 

Whereas the IDF has used text messages, leaflet drops, 

phone calls, and other methods to clear out areas and 

avoid unnecessary civilian casualties; 

Whereas Hamas uses civilians in Gaza as human shields by 

placing missile launchers next to schools, hospitals, 

mosques, and private homes; 

Whereas Hamas’ interior ministry has called on residents of 

Gaza to ignore IDF warning to get out of harm’s way; 

and 

Whereas any effort to broker a ceasefire agreement that does 

not eliminate those threats cannot be sustained in the 

long run and will leave Israel vulnerable to future attacks: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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3 

•SRES 517 IS 

1 (1) reaffirms its support for Israel’s right to de2 fend its citizens and ensure the survival of the State 

3 of Israel; 

4 (2) calls on the United Nations Secretary Gen5 eral to immediately condemn the terrorist attacks by 

6 Hamas on Israel; 

7 (3) urges the international community to con8 demn the unprovoked rocket fire at Israel; 

9 (4) recognizes that the Government of Israel 

10 must be allowed to take actions necessary to remove 

11 the present and future threats posed by Hamas’ 

12 rockets and tunnels; 

13 (5) calls on Hamas to immediately cease all 

14 rocket and other attacks against Israel; 

15 (6) opposes any efforts to impose a cease fire 

16 that does not allow for the Government of Israel to 

17 protect its citizens from threats posed by Hamas 

18 rockets and tunnels; and 

19 (7) calls on Hamas to stop using residents of 

20 Gaza as human shields. 

Æ 


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