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April 24, 2002
To: Officers, Rabbis, Key Contacts
From: Richard B. Stone, Chairman
Betty Ehrenberg, Director, International and Communal Affairs
Re: Congressional Solidarity with Israel - S. Res. 247 and H. Res. 392
Support Senate Resolution 247 and House Resolution 392
At a time when Israel is engaged in a battle for survival, we must make sure that the U.S. Congress stands in solidarity with Israel. Israel today is exercising the right of any country to act in self-defense against terrorists who are attacking its civilian population. Israel has to act because the Palestinians, in contravention to agreements that they signed, not only refuse to do so but are in fact perpetrating the violence. Israel's right to self-defense is being challenged in the UN, the media, and on many other levels.
It is crucial that we relate to our Senators and Representatives that the U.S. Congress must stand in solidarity with Israel at this troubling time. A resolution is being circulated in the Senate by Senators Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Representatives Tom DeLay (R-TX) and Tom Lantos (D-CA) both of which express solidarity with Israel, reaffirm Israel's right to self-defense, and support additional defense assistance for Israel, while condemning Palestinian terror. It is imperative that you immediately contact your Senators and ask them to co-sponsor Senate Resolution 247, and your Representatives and ask them to co-sponsor House Resolution 392.
The following are talking points that you can use in your correspondence with your Senators and Representatives in urging them to support S. Res. 247 and H. Res. 392, expressing solidarity with Israel:
- The United States and Israel are engaged in a common battle against terrorist groups and individuals who threaten our countries and civilized society everywhere. Both countries are victims of well-organized and well-funded extremist organizations who carry out brutal suicide attacks on civilians to instill fear, terrorize the populations, and promote their odious political agendas. Israel must fight against this terror just as surely as the United States must fight and destroy Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups with global reach. This has not been more apparent since September 11th, 2001.
- The government of Israel today is exercising the foremost duty of any government: defending the lives of its citizens. Israel did not ask for this war, but it has no choice and must act against terror. Despite signing numerous agreements to curb terror and violence, Yassir Arafat and other Palestinian officials have instead encouraged, organized, and financed a campaign of terror targeted at Israeli civilians. In the month of March 2002 alone, 128 Israelis were killed by suicide bombings and similar terrorist
attacks. Arafat and other Palestinian officials were caught red-handed smuggling in
50,000 tons of offensive weapons from Iran on the ship Karine-A. Israel has uncovered huge arsenals of illegal weapons in Palestinian-controlled cities and refugee camps.
- The U.S. Congress must stand in solidarity with Israel at a time when much of the world vilifies Israel for exercising its rights of self-defense while ignoring the brutality of Palestinian terrorism. The ongoing wave of terror threatens the survival of Israel as a free, democratic, and civilized society, and risks engulfing the entire Middle East in chaos and war.
- Israel needs additional resources to meet these new threats, particularly in protecting its people from the threat of weapons of mass destruction that are being produced by Syria and Iran, two countries on the U.S. State Department list of terrorist states.
- S. Res. 247 and H. Res. 392 reaffirm Congress' support for Israel's right to defend itself; support additional U.S. assistance to help Israel to defend itself; acknowledge Israel's role as a front-line state in the war against terrorism; and condemn the campaign of suicide bombings and terrorism coordinated by Arafat and the Palestinian leaders and demands that they fulfill their commitments by once and for all dismantling the terrorist infrastructure.
Write or call your Senators and Representatives and urge them to co-sponsor the Lieberman/G. Smith Resolution, S. Res. 247, and the DeLay/Lantos Resolution, H. Res. 392, both of which express solidarity with Israel and reaffirm Israel's right to self-defense.
Senators and Representatives can be reached by writing to:
Representative _________________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515 |
Senator ____________________
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510 |
Call your Senators at (202) 224-3121 and ask for the offices of your Senators. House Members can be reached by calling (202) 225-3121 and asking for the offices of your Representatives. It is important that you do this immediately so that our community sends a clear message to Congress as to where we think it should stand. Use the talking points mentioned above in your communications with your Senators and Representatives. For more information, kindly call us at (212) 613-8123.
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