H.Res.888: Reaffirming the State of Israel's Right to Exist
On November 28th, 2023, New York Representative Michael Lawler introduced H.Res.888; a legislative proposal denoting Israel’s “right to exist.” Congress need not legislate a nation’s right to exist, but the bill stands ratified; passing the House; and becoming law. Israel holds an inherent right to exist and does not need to be reaffirmed by the United States federal government. Nonetheless, H.Res.888 reconfirms Israel’s right to exist; and denounces anyone who does not recognize Israel to be antisemitic. It also “rejects calls for Israel’s destruction and the elimination of the only Jewish State;” while condemning the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel.
This message should have been intimately addressed by the President, the Secretary of State, or the Secretary of Defense; yet was delivered indirectly by legislation, without benefit to the situation. Does Israel’s existence lie contingent on America? H.Res.888 is another example of our contemporary government’s attempt to legislate morality, yet there remains no need to legislate a nation’s apparent inherent rights. The government is not in charge of morality, yet continues to supplant foreign affairs over the needs of their own country. The time spent ratifying Israel’s ‘right to exist’ could have been better spent on U.S. policy, strengthening our nation to better appropriate the needs of allied nations. Instead, this policy stands to reveal the ineptitude of Congress, whereby exalting their interests beyond their jurisdiction.
H.Res.888 does nothing other than implicitly state New York Representative Michael Lawler’s clout for his biennial campaign to attain hopeful reelection. It does in no way offer material support to Israel; instead, it questions the very nature of Israel’s right to exist. The United States federal government has zero business legislating a nation’s right to exist, nor does it possess the power of God; instead, it utilizes legislation to bring awareness-without-action to the affairs of another nation, while neglecting that state of their own. Morality cannot be legislated; Congress continues to repeal our republic in favor of pure democracy; thereby decimating the foundational principles of our sovereign nation.
The nation of Israel holds an explicit right to exist, as it exists; Congressional opinion on the matter is worthless; holding no value by insulting an allied nation. Contemporary politicians are more interested in representing themselves than their constituents. Should the legislation not have passed, would Congress seek to eradicate the State of Israel? If not, why does America need to affirm its alliance with foreign nations? There is no objectivity in considering a nation’s right to exist; especially when that nation has existed since Biblical times.
As Luke scribes in Acts, it is not determinative of man whether the state of contemporary Israel bears a right to exist, as God has prearranged the resolution of foreign conflicts around the world; “He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth,’” (Acts 1:7-8; ESV). The fact that Congress strives to impress allied nations with hollow legislation depicts the alarming condition and radical disorientation of contemporary government.
The criticism of this nugatory policy in no way advocates the egregious actions of murder and rape conducted by Hamas; rather it questions the interests of Congress, and the principles of legislating international morality. What is tested in Israel is soon adopted domestically by policymakers. Americans must prepare themselves for the continued onslaught of domestic Congressional legislature, as it strives to resculpt U.S. national polity under the guise of reimagined morality.
Bibliography
Congress. (Accessed on December 23rd, 2023). Text - H.Res.888 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): Reaffirming the State of Israel's right to exist. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/888/text.