News

Washington, D.C.– Today, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and John Cornyn (R-TX), to introduce a bipartisan Senate resolution condemning Palestinian terrorist attacks and reaffirming support for Israel’s efforts to restore calm.
 
In the past month, a wave of Palestinian terrorism has swept across Israel. Palestinian stabbing, car-ramming, and shooting attacks have left 10 Israelis dead and over a hundred more wounded.
 
“Last month, my family and I joined the American Jewish community and millions of other Americans to pray for peace in Israel during a special Solidarity Shabbat,” Rubio said. “As attacks against innocent Israelis continue, it’s important that we reaffirm our country’s bipartisan support of Israel – something that President Obama and his administration habitually fail to do.
 
“The continued violence by Palestinians against Israelis is a reminder of why we must stand with our ally Israel and demand that President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority take all necessary measures to halt incitement and stop the violence,” Rubio continued. “I’m proud to join efforts like this one championed by Senator Kelly Ayotte and others to stand in solidarity with Israel and send a clear message that the U.S. government supports this vital ally and friend.”
 
Specifically, the bipartisan resolution:

• Condemns these brutal attacks in the harshest terms possible;

• Welcomes Israel’s commitment to the continued maintenance of the status quo on the Temple Mount;

• Urges the President and the international community to join in forcefully condemning these Palestinian terror attacks;

• Clarifies that there is no justification for these types of attacks and that there is a direct correlation between the recent upsurge in violence and Arab incitement regarding the Temple Mount;

• Stands with the people of Israel during these difficult days;

• Supports Israel’s right to self-defense and rejects any suggestion of the moral equivalence of Israeli security personnel protecting its citizens from senseless violence and terrorists intent to deliberately take innocent lives;

• Supports the agreement reached to install surveillance cameras on the Temple Mount according to the arrangements to be determined between the parties;

• Calls upon President Abbas to stop all incitement by Palestinian officials and by Palestinian media, to strongly and unequivocally demand an end to the violence, and to take all steps necessary to halt these attacks;

• Expresses support and admiration for individuals and organizations working to encourage cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians;

• Encourages President Abbas to continue strengthening and maintaining security cooperation with Israel;

• Reiterates that Palestinian political goals will never be achieved through violence; and

• Calls on all parties to return to the negotiating table immediately and without preconditions, as direct discussions remain the best avenue to ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A PDF of the resolution is available here.