Two Jewish congressmen have introduced a bipartisan resolution in the US House of Representatives that condemns recent terrorist rocket attacks on Israel and supports Israel’s right to defend itself, JTA reported Tuesday.
Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Lee Zeldin (R-NY), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and co-chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, respectively, sponsored the resolution.
It has at least 22 co-sponsors, both Democrats and Republicans, noted JTA.
The resolution was submitted following the firing of some 450 rockets on southern and central Israel from November 12 to 14, forcing Israeli civilians into bomb shelters. The rockets were fired in response to the targeted killing of senior Islamic Jihad leader, Baha Abu al-Ata, who was responsible for past rocket attacks on Israel and was said to be planning imminent attacks.
“Israel is surrounded by terrorist organizations that deny its very right to exist and have pledged to wipe Israel off the map,” Zeldin said in a statement. “The constant barrage of rockets has left Israel no choice but to protect itself. Like every other sovereign nation, Israel has an inherent right of self-defense and will without hesitation act to protect innocent Israeli citizens who live near the border.”
The statement added that the United States “must stand shoulder to shoulder with our greatest ally Israel.”
During the recent escalation, US Vice President Mike Pence was among those who condemned the rocket fire on Israel.
"The United States condemns the barrage of rockets on Israeli civilians. It's clear Hamas & Palestinian Islamic Jihad put violence ahead of bettering the lives of the people of Gaza. America strongly affirms Israel's right to defend itself," he wrote on Twitter.
US Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) also expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
“I unequivocally stand with Israel’s right to defend itself, including by taking action against terrorists like Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Baha Abu al-Ata, who target innocent civilians to advance their anti-Semitic goal of eradicating Israel,” said Cruz.