Nebraska Panhandle News

U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts, Deb Fischer, and Jim Risch have announced their plan to introduce the Stand with Israel Act in November. The proposed legislation aims to halt U.S. funding for the United Nations and its agencies if they expel, downgrade, suspend, or restrict Israel's participation.

Senator Ricketts stated, "The United States will not stand by and allow the rampant antisemitism at the United Nations to go unchallenged." He emphasized that any move to downgrade Israel's membership should be seen as an attack on a key American ally.

Senator Fischer added her concerns about diminishing Israel’s status within the UN. She remarked, "Diminishing Israel’s status within the UN would be a slap in the face to democracies across the globe."

Senator Risch expressed his disapproval of any attempt to alter Israel's status at the UN. He commented, "Any attempt to alter Israel’s status at the UN is clearly anti-Semitic," further noting that if such actions were allowed by member states, it would render support for the UN system untenable.

The backdrop for this legislative proposal includes reports suggesting that the Palestinian Authority may seek to downgrade Israel's status following a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly on May 10, 2024. This resolution enhanced Palestine's standing within the organization.