We spoke with Lee Wunsch, president & CEO of the Jewish Federation of Houston, about his concerns that pro-Palestinian forces will be pushing a Middle East resolution at the Texas caucuses. “It’s come up with prior elections,” he said. The people behind these efforts generally land on the Democratic side, but it’s also come up during Republican events, he added. “They’re a combination of Palestinians who live in the community and others who side with the Palestinian side in the conflict.”
Here’s the text of the resolution:
RESOLVE THE ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN CONFLICT
WHEREAS, Israel has illegally occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem for 40 years in violation of the U.N. Resolution no. 242; and
WHEREAS, in clear contravention of international law (the four Geneva Convention), Israel has illegally confiscated Palestinian land, exploited natural resources and built 223 illegal settlements transferring approximately 400,000 Israelis to the occupied territories; (1) and
WHEREAS, Israel’s illegal occupation has existed for 40 years, during which time it transformed into a form of colonialism and apartheid and suppressed and oppressed an entire people, preventing them from the exercise of their right to self-determination and the establishment of their State, Palestine; and
WHEREAS, 1031 Israelis and 4528 Palestinians have been killed since Sept. 29, 2000 to Jan 31, 2008, and 119 Israeli and 982 Palestinian children have been killed since Sept. 29, 2000 to Feb. 8, 2008; (2) and
WHEREAS, Israel receives approximately 3 billion dollars (8.2 mil. per day) each year in direct foreign assistance. This is more than 20 times the amount the Palestinians receive; (3) and
WHEREAS, the U.S. decries extremists Palestinian suicide bombers, but ignores Israel’s violations of UN Resolutions, its human rights violations, curfews, checkpoints and the walls built that cage, impoverish and dehumanize Palestinians; and
WHEREAS, the only way for Israelis to be secure is for Palestinians to be secure;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the U.S. will discontinue economic aid to Israel until the following requirements are met;
1) Israel will withdraw from the illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and withdraw all military from occupied territory and recognize the so-called Green Line established by the UN in 1967.
2) Israel will obey the UN International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion (14 to 1) and cease the construction of the wall/fence built on Palestinian land and dismantle forthwith those parts of that structure situated within the Occupied Palestinian Territory and pay reparations for damages to the Palestinians;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the U.S. requires each party’s adherence to the principles of non-violent conflict resolution to qualify for aid.
