More than 20 US senators introduce privileged resolution seeking report on West Bank violence

More than 20 US senators led by Jeanne Shaheen, Chris Van Hollen, Tim Kaine and Bernie Sanders introduced a privileged resolution Monday seeking a State Department report on violence in the occupied West Bank, including the deaths of American citizens.

The resolution, introduced under Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, would require the State Department to provide Congress with information about investigations into the killings of US citizens in the West Bank by illegal Israeli occupiers or Israeli security forces.

It would also seek an assessment of the human rights situation in the territory, including the detention of Palestinian children.

“We have a responsibility to ensure the killing of American citizens is thoroughly investigated anywhere in the world,” Shaheen said.

“These killings and extremist settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank undermine the rule of law and threaten a two-state solution. I’m proud to join this resolution to send the message from Congress that the United States will not sign off on unchecked escalation. I encourage the Trump Administration to continue to make clear that the U.S. opposes annexation of the West Bank and extremist settler policies.”

Kaine, for his part, said the violence committed by Israeli occupiers in the West Bank is reaching an "unprecedented level" and urged his colleagues to support this resolution.

“Friends need to listen to each other, and my colleagues and I have repeatedly urged Israeli leaders to take firmer action to curtail illegal settlements in the West Bank, prosecute violent settlers, and protect Palestinian residents as well as American citizens living in or visiting the West Bank.”

The senators said nine Americans have been killed in the West Bank in recent years and that their cases have not resulted in what they consider sufficient accountability from either the Israeli or US governments.

The resolution invokes Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, which allows Congress to seek a State Department report on human rights conditions in countries receiving US security assistance. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee would have 10 days to consider the measure before it could be brought to the Senate floor.

If approved, the administration would have 30 days to submit the report, with failure to do so triggering restrictions on certain US security assistance to Israel. After receiving the report, Congress could consider whether changes to US security assistance are warranted based on its findings.