Condemning the murder of Israeli and Palestinian children in Israel and the ongoing and escalating violence in that country.

Whereas on April 23, 2014, the Palestinian factions of Fatah and Hamas announced a deal to unify Palestinian Authority rule over the West Bank and Gaza and to hold elections; Whereas Hamas has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007 and is a designated terrorist organization by the governments of the United States, Israel, Canada, Japan, Jordan and Egypt, as well as the European Union; Whereas Hamas does not recognize Israel’s right to exist and its charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish State; Whereas Israel remains a strategic partner and ally since its establishment in 1948 and is a vibrant democracy with a strong rule of law situated in a hostile neighborhood in the Levant; Whereas Israel has the right to self-defense as declared in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations; Whereas Israelis Naftali Frenkel, 16, Gilad Shaer, 16, and Eyal Yifrach, 19, were kidnapped on June 12, 2014, and subsequently murdered by two suspected Hamas members in the West Bank; Whereas Israel launched Operation Brother’s Keeper to first retrieve the young boys and then to infiltrate and destroy Hamas’ network in the West Bank; Whereas Palestinian Mohammed Abu Khdeir, 16, was abducted and killed in a retaliatory act by extremists on July 2, 2014, in Jerusalem; Whereas Israeli political leaders strongly denounced the killing of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating: I unequivocally condemn the murder of a Palestinian youth in Jerusalem … Murder, riots, incitement, vigilantism — they have no place in our democracy. Whereas Hamas continues to perpetuate violence against Israel, launching hundreds of rocket attacks on large population centers in Israel from Gaza; Whereas Israel has made numerous efforts to avoid conflict through a proposed quiet for quiet Whereas the Israel Defense Force consequently initiated Operation Protective Edge to respond to these ongoing threats to Israeli citizens: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) condemns the kidnapping and murder of Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrach by terrorists associated with Hamas and the murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir by extremists; (2) commends Israeli authorities for acting swiftly to apprehend the killers of Mohammed Abu Khdeir and expects that the murderers will be punished to the full extent of the law; (3) calls on the Hamas-backed Palestinian Authority to cooperate fully with the Israeli government to apprehend the murderers of Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrach and bring them to justice; (4) calls on Hamas to halt its attacks on Israel and stop provoking Israel into a conflict; and (5) urges the Palestinian Authority to sever ties with Hamas until it recognizes Israel’s right to exist and renounces terrorism.

Summary: Condemns the kidnapping and murder of Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrach by terrorists associated with Hamas and the murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir by extremists. Commends Israeli authorities for acting swiftly to apprehend the killers of Mohammed Abu Khdeir and expects that the murderers will be punished to the full extent of the law. Calls on the Hamas-backed Palestinian Authority (PA) to cooperate with the Israeli government to apprehend the murderers of Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrach and bring them to justice. Calls on Hamas to halt its attacks on Israel and stop provoking Israel into a conflict. Urges the PA to sever ties with Hamas until it recognizes Israel's right to exist and renounces terrorism.