WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved two bipartisan resolutions reaffirming Israel’s right to exist and calling on Hamas to immediately release all hostages taken during its October 2023 attack on Israel.
Legislators passed H. Res. 888 by a vote of 412-1-1 declaring “the Jewish people are native to the Land of Israel” and acknowledging the atrocities of the Nazi Holocaust and the persecution of the Jewish people throughout history. The resolution, in addition to reaffirming Israel’s right to exist, also “recognizes that denying Israel’s right to exist is a form of antisemitism;” rejects calls for the destruction and elimination of the only Jewish State; and “condemns the Hamas-led attack on Israel.”
The single “no” vote belonged to Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Rep. Massie stated on social media that while he agreed with Israel’s right to exist and that “antisemitism is deplorable,” he opposed the resolution “because it equates anti-Zionism with antisemitism.” Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the sole Palestinian American in Congress, voted present.
Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, who introduced the resolution, said from the House floor that the nation “must do everything it can to stand by its greatest ally in the Middle East.” He noted that Israel also has the right to defend itself and the only way this conflict “ends peacefully is for Hamas to surrender.”
Minutes earlier, the House unanimously passed H. Res. 793 by a vote of 414-0 condemning Hamas’ “brutal attack on Israel” and demanding they “immediately release all hostages and return them to safety.”
The measure was co-sponsored by Republican Rep. French Hill of Arizona and Democrat Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan, the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Hostage Task Force.
“Holding innocent civilians hostage is immoral,” stated Rep. Hill. “While Hamas releasing some of the hostages last week was a step in the right direction, it is not enough until all those held against their will by this savage terrorist group are released from captivity.”
On October 7, 2023, the terrorist group Hamas conducted a surprise attack on southern Israel killing more than 1,400 people and taking more than 240 hostages into Gaza. Since then, Israel has waged war to destroy the terrorist group. Israel and Hamas now have a temporary cease-fire agreement to exchange the hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons. Under the cease fire, more than 80 of the hostages have been returned with approximately 160 remaining in captivity.
Christians in Defense of Israel Chairman Mat Staver said, “This strong support for Israel shown by the United States House of Representatives is encouraging. We must not be silent at this time. If you ever wondered what you would have done during the Holocaust, you now know by what you are doing or not doing now. Silence in the face of evil is evil itself.”
