Sullivan, Risch & 32 Senate Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Combat Israel’s Persecution at UN

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), along with 32 of their Senate colleagues, this week introduced the Stand with Israel Act, legislation to cut off U.S. funding to United Nations (UN) agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel. Senator Sullivan is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senator Risch is ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"Antisemitism has pervaded the United Nations for decades, a disturbing trend that has only intensified in the past year following the horrendous October 7^th attacks," said Senator Sullivan. "For too long, the UN has provided safe haven and a sympathetic ear to bigotry and terrorism, seriously undermining the organization's credibility and calling into question the UN's commitment to the values of religious liberty, human dignity, and global peace and stability. As members of the Senate, my colleagues and I are sending a clear signal to the UN that the United States will not continue to fund this organization if member states or entities limit Israel's participation in the United Nations or further attempt to persecute the Jewish state."

"Any attempt to alter Israel's status at the UN is clearly antisemitic," said Ranking Member Risch. "If UN member states allow the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to downgrade Israel's status at the UN, the United States must stop supporting the UN system, as it would clearly be beyond repair. I am disgusted this outrageous idea has even been discussed, and will do all I can to ensure any changes to Israel's status will come with consequences."

This legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala. ), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.). This is companion legislation to bipartisan House bill HR 9374 led by U.S. Representative Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.).

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.

Text of the Stand with Israel Act can be found here.

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