(Idaho State) U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and 32 Senate colleagues introduced the Stand with Israel Act. This legislation would cut off U.S. funding to United Nations (UN) agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel.
“Israel’s enemies are trying to manipulate the United Nations to accomplish their misguided goals,” said Crapo. “Any moves by the United Nations to restrict Israel’s participation would conflict with American values and global interests. American taxpayers should have no part in funding international bodies that threaten the diplomatic security of our ally.”
“Any attempt to alter Israel’s status at the UN is clearly anti-Semitic,” said Risch. “That said, if the UN member states allow the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN, the U.S. must stop supporting the UN system, as it would clearly be beyond repair. I am disgusted that this outrageous idea has even been discussed, and will do all we can to ensure any changes to Israel’s status will come with consequences.”
Joining Crapo and Risch in introducing the legislation are Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Florida), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), John Boozman (R-Arkansas) and Roger Marshall (R-Kansas).
This is companion legislation to bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, HR 9394, led by U.S. Representative Mike Lawler (R-New York).
BACKGROUND:
- Reports indicate that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will attempt to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN.
- The PA is able to do this after the UN General Assembly passed a biased resolution which enhanced the PA’s status at the United Nations on May 10, 2024.
- Following that vote, Ranking Member Risch led 24 Senate colleagues in introducing the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act, legislation to update existing funding prohibitions in law that would cause the United States to cut off assistance to entities that give additional rights and privileges to the Palestinian Authority.
- The Stand with Israel Act would cut off U.S. funding to UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel. The bill is modeled after the current prohibition of funding to any UN entities that elevate the status of the Palestinian Authority to a member state.