Last week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the vice-chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, brought back the “Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act.”
Rubio reintroduced the proposal with the support of more than a dozen Republican co-sponsors including U.S. Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
According to Rubio’s office, the bill “would impose sanctions against foreign individuals, entities, and governments that provide support to Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other Palestinian terrorist groups that just spent weeks launching more than 4,000 rockets at Israeli civilians” and “requires the president to submit to Congress an assessment of whether critical foreign countries are doing enough to counter the fundraising, financing, and money laundering activities of Palestinian terrorist groups.”
Rubio weighed in on his proposal at the end of last week.
“As these terrorist groups continue to show zero regard for the loss of innocent lives and threaten our ally, Israel, I’m proud to reintroduce this bill which seeks to impose sanctions against foreign nationals and governments who are actively providing material support to these groups,” Rubio said. “We must hold accountable the individuals who are aiding the terrorist activities of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.”
“America will always stand unapologetically with our great ally, Israel, and against all that wish it harm,” Scott said. “I’m proud to again join Senator Rubio on this important legislation to clearly demonstrate the United States’ intolerance for violent terrorist groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad and hold accountable all who support them.”
The bill was sent to the Foreign Relations Committee on Friday. So far, there is no companion measure over in the U.S. House.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
