Kansas House and Senate start 2024 legislative session passing resolution condemning terrorist attacks in Israel

This post was updated to include Rep. Haswood’s statement on 01/09/2024.

On Monday, the Kansas House and Senate kicked off the legislative session passing resolutions condemning the terrorist attacks in Israel. The Senate voted 34-6 on Senate Resolution 1729. The House voted 106-14 on House Resolution 6030. Both resolutions were adopted in Emergency Final Action.

“The State of Israel is an invaluable and trusted ally of the United States and a beacon of democracy in the Middle East,” a press release from the Kansas House of Representatives states. “The cowardly October 7th attacks on civilians and visitors, including American citizens, carried out by Hamas, an established terror organization rooted deeply in antisemitic philosophy, resulted in the deadliest day for Jewish people since the horrors of the Holocaust. House Republicans condemn these unprovoked attacks and reaffirm Kansas’ support and cooperation with the State of Israel. Additionally, we unequivocally support Israel’s right to exist, defend itself, and protect its citizens from terrorism and harm. Since the Hamas terror attacks, antisemitism has risen by 400% nationwide resulting in increased security measures for our local Jewish communities. We reject all antisemitism in any of its grotesque forms and stand united with Jewish people in Kansas and throughout the world. House Republicans stand steadfast in solidarity with the State of Israel and the Jewish people and offer our continued prayers for safety, peace, and healing for our strongest Middle Eastern ally as they defend their freedom and democratic way of life.”

“This resolution doesn’t give what I would hope is a full picture of this situation,” Rep. Rui Xu (D-Johnson County) said to the Committee as a whole. “In particularly, it does not give the point of view of the non-Hamas Palestinian civilians.”

Rep. Xu did say it gave a “fair view” of the other side, listing three things in the resolution that he agreed with, including:

• Reaffirming Israel’s right to exist,

• Denouncing Hamas as a terrorist group,

• Denouncing antisemitism.

“I think it’s really unfortunate that we had to start the session this way,” Rep. Dennis Heiberger (D-Douglas County) said on the House floor. “First, I see no good reason why this resolution had to be rushed through today rather than following our rule that a resolution is read in one day and worked on the day after. I could have supported a simple resolution condemning the Hamas attacks on October 7th but instead it’s loaded up with a number of statements that I think are incorrect or misleading. Finally, it completely ignores the historical context of the conflict in Palestine and takes no account whatsoever on the enormous suffering that has been inflicted on the two million people of Gaza over the last three months. Not to mention the last 75 years.”

Rep. Heiberger also said that while he agrees Israel has a right to exist, defend itself, and protect its citizens from harm, he disagrees that it “unequivocally” has such rights.

“Israel does not have the right under international law to cut off food, water, and electricity, and medical supplies to two-million people of the Gaza Strip,” Rep. Heiberger said. “It does not have the right to conduct airstrikes almost every day for three months on the most densely populated place on earth. It does not have the right of international law to slaughter tens of thousands of civilians.”

Both Rep. Xu and Rep. Heiberger offered amendments to the House resolution, but both amendments were rejected.