Bill Text: VA HR373 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled


Bill Title: Commending the Israel, State of.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 50-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-02-21 - Bill text as passed House (HR373ER) [HR373 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2019-HR373-Enrolled.html

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 373
Commending the State of Israel.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 21, 2019

WHEREAS, the Jewish people have a long-standing connection to the land of Israel; and

WHEREAS, the claim and presence of the Jewish people in Israel has remained constant throughout the past 4,000 years; and

WHEREAS, Israel declared its independence and self-governance on May 14, 1948, with the goal of reestablishing a homeland for the Jewish people; and

WHEREAS, the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel issued on May 14, 1948, declares the nation "will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants regardless of religion, race or sex"; and

WHEREAS, there are those in the Middle East who, since the time of Israel's inception as a state, have continually sought to destroy Israel; and

WHEREAS, Israel and the United States have similar goals of democracy and stability in the Middle East; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia and Israel have enjoyed a cordial and mutually beneficial relationship since 1948, a friendship that continues to strengthen with each passing year; and

WHEREAS, anti-Semitism is on the rise throughout the world, endangering communities in Israel and Jewish communities in the United States; in recent years, Virginia has witnessed stark examples of anti-Semitism including the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville in 2017 and instances of Jewish community centers and synagogues being vandalized with swastikas; and

WHEREAS, anti-Semitism, as well as bigotry, hatred, and intolerance in all forms must be condemned; and

WHEREAS, anti-Semitism is a challenge to the basic principles of tolerance, pluralism, and democracy and the shared values that bind Americans together, and there is an urgent need to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities, including synagogues, schools, cemeteries, and other institutions in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the United States, having been the first nation to recognize Israel as an independent nation, and as Israel's principal ally, has enjoyed a close and mutually beneficial relationship with Israel and her people; and

WHEREAS, Israel is the greatest friend and ally of the United States in the Middle East, and the two countries enjoy strong bonds and common values; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the State of Israel hereby be commended for its cordial and mutually beneficial relationship with the United States and with the Commonwealth of Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Dov Hoch, the executive director of the Virginia-Israel Advisory Board, Arthur Stark, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, and Mark Wilf, chairman of the Jewish Federation of North America Board of Trustees as an expression of the House of Delegates' appreciation for the many contributions made by Jewish communities to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

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