(WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today condemned Thursday’s attack on the Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav school in Jerusalem. According to Jerusalem police, one armed Palestinian – with reported ties to the Islamist group Hezbollah, sponsored by Iran and Syria – infiltrated the yeshiva and opened fire on students, killing 8 and wounding 11 others. Sixteen-year-old Avraham David Moses, a U.S. citizen, was among those killed. Ros-Lehtinen is the author of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act (P.L. 109-446), which conditions U.S. aid to the Palestinians on Presidential certification of “demonstrable progress” by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in upholding democracy and the rule of law, combating terrorism and incitement, and establishing good governance in institutions and territories under its control. In late February, the Bush administration notified Congress that it would waive legal restrictions on aid to the Palestinians and release $150 million in direct cash transfers to the PA. On Tuesday, Ros-Lehtinen requested that the Committee’s Majority place a hold on the funds.

Statement of Ros-Lehtinen:

Today, Americans and Israelis together mourn the victims of yesterday’s attack – including Avraham David Moses, 16 years old, killed because he was an American and a Jew.

This attack on students reinforces concerns that the Palestinian Authority government has not done enough to combat violent extremism. While innocent American and Israeli blood is shed by Palestinian murderers, Gazan extremists celebrate in the streets, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas continues to refuse to rule out future ‘armed struggle,’ and PA television continues to incite hatred and violence against the United States and Israel.  In tragic hypocrisy, the United Nations Human Rights Council met in Geneva to condemn Israel for its defensive actions while this heinous crime was being carried out in Jerusalem.

Given yesterday’s tragic events, it is more important than ever to ensure that not one penny of U.S. taxpayer dollars goes to support radical Islamists who seek America and Israel’s destruction or to those who encourage or condone their acts of violence.

Moreover, the reported Hezbollah link to yesterday’s attack must be thoroughly investigated.  This vicious group is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans, Israelis, and others over the last quarter-century. The U.S. and other responsible nations must hold Hezbollah and its state sponsors accountable for their deadly acts.

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