Senate passes resolution backing Israel, cease-fire

January 8, 2009

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip that would guarantee an end to Hamas rocket attacks.

The Senate passed the resolution on Thursday; a similar resolution was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday and will be considered as soon as Friday.

The resolution, co-sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the majority leader, and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the minority leader, "encourages the President to work actively to support a durable, enforceable, and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza, as soon as possible, that prevents Hamas from retaining or rebuilding the capability to launch rockets and mortars against Israel and allows for the long-term improvement of daily living conditions for the ordinary people of Gaza."

The legislation also recognized Israel's "right to act in self-defense to protect its citizens against acts of terrorism."

A fragile cease-fire collapsed last month with a barrage of rockets fired into Israel. Israel launched major operations on Dec. 27.

The resolution also calls for strong protections for civilians and backs the resumption of peace talks toward a two-state solution.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee applauded the passage of the nonbinding resolution.

"AIPAC strongly supports this important congressional action, which backs Israel's right to self-defense, calls for American leadership to secure a durable and sustainable diplomatic outcome that ends smuggling of arms into Gaza and Hamas attacks on Israel, and expresses strong support for the peace process," spokesman Josh Block said in a statement.

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Clare Kinberg

01/08/09 03:46 PM

Might be a good idea to get other reactions besides AIPAC.
What are Brit Tzedek v’Shalom and the Shalom Center saying?

Also, your simple report of the collapse of the prior ceasefire is challenged by the Shalom Center, which sent out this report:

Israeli Intelligence authorities, in a Web posting on November 16, reported that rocket firings from Gaza had been extremely few from June, when the ceasefire began, into November. In June, 5 rockets and 4 mortar shells; in July; 4 rockets and 8 mortar shells; in August, 8 rockets and 3 mortar shells; in September, 1 rocket and 3 mortar shells; in October, 2 rockets and 0 mortar shells. And these, the report concluded, were being fired not by Hamas but by small terrorist groups.

Then, the report said, on November 4 Israel dropped bombs to stymie what the Israelis believed was an impending attempt to abduct some Israeli soldiers. The attack killed several Palestinians. Then and then only, according to Israeli Intelligence, Hamas sent rockets flying again into Israel .

Then on November 15, a similar scenario. Israel “preventively” attacked what it thought was a new tunnel to smuggle arms into Gaza, killing several Palestinians in the process., Again, Hamas fired a flurry of rockets. After that, Israeli intelligence concluded that it was unlikely the precious “calm” or ceasefire could be restored.

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