Interior Alaska News

U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Jim Risch of Idaho, along with 32 other Senate colleagues, have introduced the Stand with Israel Act. This legislation aims to halt U.S. funding to United Nations agencies that take actions such as expelling or downgrading the participation of Israel within the organization. Senator Sullivan is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, while Senator Risch serves as the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Senator Sullivan stated, "Antisemitism has pervaded the United Nations for decades, a disturbing trend that has only intensified in the past year following the horrendous October 7th attacks." He added that this trend undermines the UN's credibility and questions its commitment to values like religious liberty and global peace. "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," he said.

Ranking Member Risch expressed his concerns by saying, "Any attempt to alter Israel’s status at the UN is clearly antisemitic." He emphasized that if UN member states allow any downgrading of Israel's status by entities like the Palestinian Authority or Palestine Liberation Organization, it would render support for the UN system untenable. "I am disgusted this outrageous idea has even been discussed," Risch noted.

The bill is supported by several senators including Tom Cotton from Arkansas, Chuck Grassley from Iowa, Bill Cassidy from Louisiana, and others across various states. It acts as companion legislation to a bipartisan House bill led by Representative Mike Lawler from New York.

The full text of the Stand with Israel Act is available for public access.