Thursday, March 06, 2008

US House of Representatives condemns rocket attacks on Israel

From Ynet News, 5/3/08, by Yitzhak Benhorin:

WASHINGTON – The United States House of Representatives endorsed Wednesday a resolution condemning the rocket attacks on Israel, stating that the firing of rockets on civilian population constituted a blatant violation of human rights and international law.

A sweeping majority of 404 House members endorsed the resolution, while one voted against it and four abstained.

In the resolution, the House of Representatives expressed support for Israel's sovereign right to defend its territory against rocket attacks and called on President George W. Bush to instruct the US envoy to the UN to push for a UN resolution condemning the Palestinian terror.

The members also urged Bush to demand that US ally Saudi Arabia publicly condemn the rocket fire.

The resolution stressed that those responsible for the rocket attacks were operating from within civilian-populated areas, while using civilians as human shields.

It also stated that following Israel's disengagement from the Gaza Strip, more than 4,000 rockets and mortar shells have been fired at the country, killing over a dozen Israelis and wounding hundreds, including children.

The House also cited Iran and Syria as the main sponsors of the Palestinian terror.

The resolution further emphasized the moral difference between Israel unintentionally harming Palestinian civilians during military operations, and the deliberate attacks on Israeli civilians by Hamas and the other terror groups in Gaza.

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