House Passes Resolution Condemning Anti-Israel Incitement

The House of Representatives on Monday passed a bipartisan resolution condemning the recent wave of terror in Israel and urging Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to stop the anti-Israel incitement.

The resolution was authored by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL).

HR 293 also expresses support for individuals and organizations working to encourage Israeli-Palestinian cooperation and directs the State Department to regularly monitor and publish information on all official incitement by the Palestinian Authority against Jews and the State of Israel.

“The House has sent a clear message to the Palestinian leadership that its anti-Israel incitement causing so much of the recent tension, violence, and terror will no longer be tolerated. There should be no doubt that the Palestinian Authority sets the tone with its incitement, resulting in the recent wave of attacks that we’re seeing against innocent Israeli civilians,” Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement following the passage of the resolution by a show-of-hands vote. “The House’s passage of this resolution sends an important signal that we’ll continue to support the democratic Jewish State of Israel during this difficult time and we will hold Palestinian leadership accountable for its destructive words and actions.”

Rep. Eliot Engel said during a speech on the House floor that a bipartisan letter addressed to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, which is being circulated by him and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) has already garnered over 250 signatures.

The letter calls on President Abbas to take “concrete steps to avoid further violence” by publicly condemning the recent terror attacks, putting an end to dangerous incitement stemming from the Palestinian Authority, and continuing important security cooperation with Israel.