5 Bipartisan Bills Related to the American-Israeli Alliance in Congress Now

After the new Congress is seated next year, Representative-elect Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) is planning to lead a delegation of lawmakers to the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank next year, breaking with the tradition of visits to Israel sponsored by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Tlaib is also a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement that aims to hurt Israel economically through boycotts to show support for Palestinian rights.

Tlaib’s views are growing in popularity among the more progressive lawmakers who caucus as Democrats, but cut against the broad bipartisan support in Congress for the U.S.-Israel alliance embodied in these five bills:

Israel Anti-Boycott Act (S. 720)

Sponsored by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Rob Portman (R-OH) and 56 other bipartisan cosponsors, this bill would express Congressional opposition to UN resolutions boycotting Israel and prohibit American companies from requesting or supporting boycotts against Israel or other countries friendly to the U.S. that are fostered by international organizations.

Federal law has prohibited participation in economic boycotts of foreign countries promoted by other countries since 1977, and this bill broadens that to include boycotts fostered by international organizations.

Hamas Human Shields Prevention Act (H.R. 3542)

Sponsored by Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Seth Moulton (D-MA), this bill would impose sanctions on members and affiliates of Hamas who are complicit in the organization’s use of human shields, and condemn Hamas’ use of human shields as an act of terror and violation of human rights. Hamas launches rockets from locations in Gaza near schools, hospitals, and churches to deter retaliation by Israel.

This bill passed the House on a 415-0 vote in February 2018.

Palestinian Authority Educational Curriculum Transparency Act (H.R. 6034)

Sponsored by Reps. David Young (R-IA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA), this bill would require the State Department assess whether educational materials used by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools in the West Bank and Gaza meet internationally-recognized standards of peace and tolerance.

In the past, PA and UNRWA educational materials have been found to promote violence and martyrdom against Israel and Jews as a way of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

UNRWA Accountability Act (H.R. 5898)

Sponsored by Reps. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Lee Zeldin (R-NY), would require the State Dept. and U.S. Agency for International Development to develop a policy regarding America’s strategy and policy toward UNRWA and provide it to Congress in a report, along with a review of U.S. foreign aid to UNRWA, Gaza, and the West Bank.

United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act (S. 2497)

Sponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Chris Coons (D-DE), this bill would codify the 2016 memorandum of understanding signed by Israel and the U.S. guaranteeing Israel $38 billion in defense assistance over 10 years. It’d also commit the U.S. to supporting Israel’s ability to meet and address both conventional and emerging threats and enhances U.S.-Israel cooperation in areas of mutual interest, such as cyber security.

Both chambers of Congress have passed different versions of this bill on unanimous voice votes.

— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: iStock.com / stellalevi)