SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 464
WHEREAS, The Lone Star State has always been a steadfast
supporter of the historic alliance between the United States and
the democratic nation of Israel; and
WHEREAS, In early May 2021, long-standing tensions in
Jerusalem boiled over, and clashes broke out at the Al-Aqsa
Mosque compound between Israeli police and Palestinian
protesters; the mayhem quickly escalated into the worst spate of
violence in the city since 2014, when the kidnapping and killing
of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas members led to a seven-week
conflict and scores of deaths in Israel; and
WHEREAS, Hamas, an Islamist militant group sworn to
Israel's destruction and designated as a terrorist group, began
firing long-range rockets from Gaza toward Jerusalem on May 10,
2021; Israel responded by bombing targets in Gaza, and because
Hamas employs civilians as human shields, more than 200
Palestinian lives were lost; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of 11 days, Hamas, Islamic Jihad,
and other militant groups launched more than 4,000 rockets at
Israel, killing 12 people, mostly civilians; Hamas fired at
nonmilitary targets, and the death toll would doubtless have been
much higher, but for the Iron Dome, Israel's short-range air
defense system, a tactical and technological marvel that has
received substantial support from the United States; and
WHEREAS, A cease-fire mediated by Egypt began at 7 p.m. EST
May 20, 2021, but the history of Israeli-Palestinian hostilities
is littered with agreements that have yet to resolve underlying
disputes; and
WHEREAS, Deeply committed to the preservation of
democracies around the world, Texas has ever been a staunch ally
of Israel and an opponent of its enemies and of terrorism; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th
Legislature, hereby express support for the democratic nation of
Israel and its right to defend itself and condemn the provocative
attacks against Israel by Palestinian militants.
Hughes, Perry
Seliger, Zaffirini
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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 31, 2021.
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Secretary of the Senate