EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL
IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM

WHEREAS, the ongoing threat of terrorism since September 11, 2001, has hurt the economies of the State of Alabama and the United States, damaging tourism and travel among the states and creating a negative economic atmosphere hurting business and producing job losses; and

WHEREAS, the United States and Israel are now engaged in a common struggle against terrorism and are on the front-lines of a conflict thrust upon them against their will; and

WHEREAS, hundreds of innocent Israelis and Palestinians have died tragically in violence since September 2001; and

WHEREAS, Palestinian organizations are engaging in an organized, systematic, and deliberate campaign of terror aimed at inflicting as many casualties as possible on the Israeli population, including through the use of homicide terrorist attacks; and

WHEREAS, Israel has lost nearly 700 innocent lives, which as a percentage of population is commensurate with America losing over 30,000 lives in the terrorist attacks on New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington on September 11, 2001; and

WHEREAS, Yasser Arafat and members of the Palestinian leadership have failed to abide by their commitments to nonviolence made in the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles, the "Oslo accord", of September 1993, including their pledges (1) to adhere strictly to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, (2) to resolve all outstanding issues relating to permanent status through negotiations, (3) to renounce the use of terrorism and other acts of violence, and (4) to assume responsibility over all PLO elements and personnel in order to assure their compliance with the commitment to nonviolence, preventing violence, and disciplining violators; and

WHEREAS, the continued terrorism and incitement committed, supported, and coordinated by official arms of the Palestinian Authority are a direct violation of these commitments; and

WHEREAS, forces directly under Yasser Arafat's control, particularly the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which is part of Arafat's Fatah organization and has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States government, have murdered scores of innocent Israelis; and

WHEREAS, Yasser Arafat was directly involved in the Palestinian Authority's thwarted attempt to obtain 50 tons of offensive weapons shipped from Iran in the Karine-A, an effort that irrefutably proved Arafat's embrace of the use and escalation of violence; and

WHEREAS, documents from the offices of the Palestinian Authority demonstrate the crucial financial support the Palestinian Authority continues to provide for terrorist acts, including homicide bombers; and

WHEREAS, the ongoing violence has hurt the economies of both Israel and the Palestinian territories, damaging tourism in both regions, thereby creating a negative economic atmosphere hurting business and producing job losses; and

WHEREAS, President George W. Bush declared at a joint session of Congress on September 20, 2001, that "From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime"; and

WHEREAS, President Bush recently stated that he fully understands Israel's need to defend herself and that he respects the fact that Israelis have seen a wave of homicide bombers coming to the heart of their cities and killing innocent people; and

WHEREAS, President Bush, in his speech of April 4, 2002, stated that "the situation in which he [Arafat] finds himself today is largely of his own making; that Arafat missed his opportunities, and thereby betrayed the hopes of the people he's supposed to lead; and that, given his [Arafat's] failure, the Israeli government feels it must strike at terrorist networks that are killing its citizens"; and

WHEREAS, Israel's military operations are an effort to defend itself against the unspeakable horrors of ongoing terrorism and are aimed only at dismantling the terrorist infrastructure in the Palestinian areas, an obligation Arafat himself undertook but failed to carry out; and

WHEREAS, Israel has made clear its intention to withdraw from Palestinian areas and has already begun to do so; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That the State of Alabama:

1. Stands in solidarity with Israel as it takes necessary steps to provide security to its people by dismantling the terrorist infrastructure in the Palestinian areas.
    

2. Remains committed to Israel's right to self-defense and supports additional United States assistance to help Israel defend itself.
    

3. Condemns Palestinian homicide bombings.
    

4. Condemns the ongoing support and coordination of terror by Yasser Arafat and other members of the Palestinian leadership.
    

5. Demands that the Palestinian Authority at last fulfill its commitment to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in the Palestinian areas, including any such infrastructure associated with PLO and Palestinian Authority entities tied directly to Yasser Arafat.
    

6. Is gravely concerned that Arafat's actions are not those of a viable partner for peace.
    

7. Urges all Arab states to declare their unqualified opposition to all forms of terrorism, particularly homicide bombing.
    

8. Commends the President for his leadership in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly the efforts of the administration to engage countries throughout the region to condemn and prevent terrorism and to prevent a widening of the conflict.
    

9. Urges all parties in the region to pursue vigorously efforts to establish a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
    

10. Declares that it will work as an elected body to promote tourism, economic trade, and cultural exchange with the State of Israel, keeping relations healthy now and into the future for the benefit of the State of Alabama and Israel.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to each member of the Alabama Congressional Delegation.