BILL NUMBER: SCR 117INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Strickland JUNE 28, 2010 Relative to the defense of Israel. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SCR 117, as introduced, Strickland. Defense of Israel. This measure would declare California's support of Israel's actions defending its blockade of the Gaza Strip on May 31, 2010, and its authority to protect itself. Fiscal committee: no. WHEREAS, On May 31, 2010, Israeli soldiers boarded a ship, the Mavi Marmara, that was part of a flotilla attempting to break a blockade of the Gaza Strip; and WHEREAS, Israel's blockade is acknowledged by the United States as necessary and legal, given the control of Gaza by Hamas; and WHEREAS, Hamas is recognized by the United States as a terrorist organization, and has illegally seized control of Gaza from the duly-elected government, has repeatedly attacked Israel, kidnapped and holds hostage Israeli corporal Gilad Shalit, and is committed to the destruction of Israel; and WHEREAS, The flotilla's primary aim was not humanitarian relief, but to cause a provocation as evidenced by the flotilla organizers' announcements weeks in advance that they would resist Israeli forces trying to peacefully enforce the Gaza blockade; and WHEREAS, The main organizer of the flotilla was the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation, which has publicly affirmed its links to Hamas, is reported to have ties to other terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda, and is part of an umbrella organization that has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States; and WHEREAS, The Israeli Navy worked hard to peacefully intercept the ships, successfully bringing five of the six ships to Israel's Ashdod Port without any incident; and WHEREAS, On the Mavi Marmara, Israeli soldiers encountered intense violence from some of the radicals and were significantly outnumbered; and WHEREAS, A country may impose and enforce an embargo on international waters during wartime; and WHEREAS, Israel's detention of the flotilla ships, and its use of force to defend its soldiers when they were attacked by some of the radicals, is acceptable under international law; and WHEREAS, Israel has a legitimate right to self-defense and has good cause to inspect cargo going into Gaza, given that Hamas calls for Israel's destruction and is in a state of war with Israel; and WHEREAS, Israel has announced the establishment of a commission, including two foreign observers, one from Canada and the other, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, from Ireland, which will investigate the Gaza flotilla incident; and WHEREAS, Israel allows approximately 15,000 tons of supplies to enter Gaza on a daily basis and has allowed over one million tons of humanitarian supplies to enter Gaza from Israel over the past 18 months; and WHEREAS, Thousands of Californians gathered at a rally in Los Angeles on June 6, 2010 to support Israel and to protest the unfair international criticism of Israel for enforcing the Gaza blockade; and WHEREAS, Like every country in the world, Israel has the right to defend itself; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature declares California's support of Israel's actions defending its blockade of the Gaza Strip on May 31, 2010, and its authority to protect itself; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.