Jayapal Statement on Israel Resolution Vote
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement on her “present” vote on H.Res 771:
“On October 7, 2023, Hamas’s horrific terrorist attack killed 1,400 Israelis, wounded over 5,000 others and took hostage 200 people, including children. I sponsored H.Res 771 as a way to immediately condemn this attack.
“Since then, I have continued to condemn the attack, reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself and called for the immediate release of all hostages. However, in the 14 days since the resolution was introduced, Israel’s bombings of Gaza have killed more than 5,800 Palestinians, almost half of whom are children. Another 16,000 have been injured and 613,000 internally displaced. Israel has refused to allow fuel and other humanitarian aid to flow freely and has continued mass bombings of Gaza.
“I cannot in good conscience vote for a resolution that ignores these critical factors and the humanitarian impact on Palestinian civilians and their families as this war has unfolded and escalated. I am voting present to be clear that while I still condemn Hamas’s attacks and the pain and suffering of the Jewish people everywhere, I also condemn the violations of international humanitarian law by Israel and the pain and suffering of Palestinian people everywhere that are not recognized anywhere in this resolution.”