CORNYN HAILS PASSAGE OF HIS RESOLUTION SUPPORTING ISRAEL
Resolution Recognizes Israel’s Undeniable Right to Defend Itself
Jun 24 2010
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) today hailed passage of his resolution, which passed the Senate overwhelmingly on a voice vote, expressing the sense of the Senate that Israel has an undeniable right to self-defense and condemning the recent destabilizing actions by extremists aboard the Mavi Marmara.
“Israel has the right to defend itself, as does every nation. The Free Gaza Flotilla, hidden under a phony cloak of humanitarian relief, was a disgraceful and premeditated attempt to provoke violent confrontation with Israel,” said Senator Cornyn. “Israel needs loyal friends more than ever right now. This resolution reaffirms that the United States is absolutely one of them, despite the mixed messages the Obama Administration has sent on that issue.”
On May 28th, 2010, the “Free Gaza” flotilla, sponsored by a Turkish organization called the Humanitarian Relief Foundation, departed from a Turkish port and sailed towards Israel’s defensive sea blockade of Gaza. On May 31st, 2010, after repeated Israeli calls to turn around or be peacefully escorted to a port outside of Gaza, the Israeli Navy intercepted the Mavi Marmara 75 miles west of Haifa, Israel, to maintain the integrity of blockade and prevent the potential smuggling of arms and other materials to Hamas and other terrorist organizations. Upon being boarded, the Mavi Marmara passengers brutally and violently attacked members of the Israeli Navy with knives, clubs, pipes, and other weapons. In self-defense, Israelis used lethal force against some of the attackers.
Senator Cornyn’s resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that Israel has an undeniable right to defend itself against any threat to its security. His resolution makes clear that recent criticism of Israel at the United Nations and elsewhere undermines Israel’s inherent right to self-defense, compromises its sovereignty, and helps legitimize Hamas. The resolution also places the flotilla events in their historical and strategic context. Since 2001, Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations have fired more than 10,000 rockets and mortars from Gaza into Israel, which killed at least 18 Israelis and wounded dozens more. Currently, approximately 860,000 Israeli civilians—more than 12 percent of Israel’s total population—resides within range of the rockets fired from Gaza. In 2007, out of concern for the safety of its citizens, Israel put in place a legitimate and justified blockade of Gaza, which has been effective in reducing the firing of rockets and mortars from Gaza into southern Israel.


0 comments:
Post a Comment