H.Res. 98 — Introduced in House

IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 98 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 5, 2013 Mr. Gosar (for himself, Mr. Broun of Georgia, Mr. Coffman, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Griffith of Virginia, Mr. Lance, Mr. Long, Mr. Mica, Mr. Salmon, Mr. Stivers, Mr. Palazzo, and Mr. Westmoreland) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Expressing support for Israel and its right to self-defense against the illegal nuclear program by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Whereas all countries have the inviolate right to self-defense and self-preservation as a moral imperative, recognized in customary international law and Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1368, both of which hold the right to self-defense to be the inherent right of sovereign states, including the right to take all necessary steps, to combat terrorism and other forms of unconventional warfare; Whereas under customary international law, as well as Article 2, paragraph 4 of the United Nations Charter, all members of the United Nations “shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state”, and the purpose of the United Nations is to take collective measures for the preservation of international peace; Whereas the actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran threaten many actors in the Middle East, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and many others, leading to the serious threat of massive nuclear proliferation in the region, in violation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; Whereas Iran is a rogue regime that has threatened to Wipe (Israel) off the map, in violation of Article 2, paragraph 4 of the United Nations Charter; Whereas Iran seeks to unlawfully obtain or create weapons of mass destruction in violation of its agreement with the United Nations Agency for the Application of Safeguards in Connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; Whereas the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a report exposing Iran’s nuclear intentions and in November 2011 concluded that “contrary to the relevant resolutions of the Board of Governors and the Security Council, Iran has not suspended its [nuclear] enrichment related activities” and continues to proceed with a nuclear weapons proliferation program, and the IAEA Board of Governors have issued 10 resolutions condemning Iran’s nuclear program; Whereas Iran has ignored and has been indifferent to the terms of the resolutions pertaining to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and United States and international sanctions have not accomplished enough to deter its progress; Whereas Iran has actively engaged in ongoing armed hostilities against Israel for decades by supporting terrorism against Israel through military proxies, including the terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah, each of which have attacked Israeli civilians as well as military personnel, and by attacking Israeli embassies and diplomatic personnel in Argentina, Georgia, India, and Thailand; Whereas the mere act of aggressively seeking the illicit acquisition of weapons of mass destruction creates an existential threat to Israel, particularly in light of Iran’s illegal threats and armed hostilities against Israel, as well as a grave threat to peace and stability of the region in violation of Article 1, paragraph 1 of the United Nations Charter; Whereas existential threats against Israel have been planned, expressed, or executed since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 and have continued relentlessly thus causing Israel to defend itself vigilantly; Whereas in the Six-Day War, Israel was forced to engage in successful military action against Egypt under similar circumstances on June 5, 1967; Whereas the United States Department of State concluded that the Six-Day War is the most cited example of the right to take such actions for self-defense in response to a grave and obvious threat; Whereas Israel took similar action in the 1981 attack on Iraq’s nuclear facility at Osirak, which averted an unquestionably hostile and violent regime from acquiring nuclear weapons, and also in 2007 when Israel attacked Syria’s Al-Kibar nuclear facility, an ally of Iran who has been engaged in the murder of Israeli citizens and military personnel, with the aid of Iran; Whereas the United States supports the original mission of the United Nations Charter to maintain international peace and security; Whereas the United States has recognized, since 2002 through the National Security Strategy, that the United States “must adapt the concept of imminent threat to the capabilities and objectives of today’s adversaries”; Whereas in 1979 and 1980, Iran has been involved in the kidnapping of United States citizens and diplomatic personnel, in direct violation of international law, and assisting terrorists in kidnapping United States citizens in Lebanon throughout the 1980s; Whereas Iran has been involved in the systematic murder of United States soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan for years, continuing today, through support of terrorist organizations allied with Iran, including giving armor-piercing technology to terrorists; and Whereas the United States has continuously supported its ally Israel, and supported Israel’s right to defend itself, and has taken similar actions itself as necessary self-defense measures as far back as the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives fully supports Israel’s lawful exercise of self-defense, including actions to halt Iranian aggression such as a strike against Iran’s illegal nuclear program.