IA 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. J. RES. 135 
Supporting Israel’s right to defend its borders, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2018 
Mr. ZELDIN (for himself and Mr. GOTTHEIMER) submitted the following joint 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Supporting Israel’s right to defend its borders, and for other 
purposes. 
Whereas Hamas is an organization designated as a foreign 
terrorist organization by the Department of State since 
1997; 
Whereas Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, bears 
responsibility for the humanitarian situation there; 
Whereas, on March 30, 2018, Hamas declared a 6-week cam-
paign called the ‘‘March of Return’’ to reclaim Jerusalem 
and incite violence on the Gaza border against the State 
of Israel; 
Whereas demonstrators in Gaza were armed and threw hand 
grenades, stones, and firebombs at Israeli troops using 
violence under the guise of a protest; 
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•HJ 135 IH 
Whereas Hamas distributes payments to demonstrators and 
their families for deaths and wounded participants during 
the ‘‘March of Return’’ protests; 
Whereas Hamas has jeopardized the lives of innocent civilians 
living in Gaza and has targeted those in Israel; 
Whereas Hamas uses civilians as human shields; 
Whereas Hamas has been explicit in its desire to instigate vi-
olence as a media tool in the international court of public 
opinion; 
Whereas the Office of the United Nations High Commis-
sioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) publicly called for 
yet another investigation of Israel while making no men-
tion of Hamas’ continued assault against Israel; 
Whereas, on December 21, 2017, the United Nations General 
Assembly adopted United Nations General Assembly Res-
olution A/RES/ES–10/19, which rejects United States 
recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel; 
Whereas the Government of Israel has taken important steps 
to show restraint in Gaza; 
Whereas the Government of Israel has accepted and imple-
mented numerous ceasefire agreements that Hamas has 
rejected; 
Whereas Hamas refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist; 
Whereas Israel, like every other sovereign nation, has a re-
sponsibility to protect its citizens and defend its borders; 
Whereas, on May 29, 2018, Hamas and the Palestinian Is-
lamic Jihad launched the largest mortar attack against 
Israel since the 2014 Israel-Gaza war; and 
Whereas Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad an-
nounced these attacks in retaliation for Israel’s actions 
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•HJ 135 IH 
during the Marches of Return protests: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
That Congress— 
(1) condemns the actions taken by Hamas in 
Gaza; 
(2) supports Israel’s right to defend itself 
against Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization; 
(3) urges the United Nations and United States 
allies to support Israel in its self-defense against 
Hamas and condemn all those who condemn Israel’s 
right to safeguard its citizens against violence; 
(4) condemns all who support the goals of 
Hamas by condemning Israel’s right to safeguard its 
citizens against violence; and 
(5) reaffirms the United States strong concern 
with the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza caused 
by Hamas. 
Æ 
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