Palmetto State News

U.S. Senator Tim Scott, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has collaborated with Ranking Member Senator Jim Risch and other Republican colleagues to introduce the Stand with Israel Act. This legislation aims to cut off U.S. funding to United Nations (UN) agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict Israel's participation.

"The United Nations and its agencies are no strangers to compromising moral authority," said Senator Tim Scott. "Any move to restrict Israel’s membership would be another shameful act of antisemitism and terrorist pandering. Not a single dime of U.S. taxpayer money should go to funding the UN’s cowardice."

Senator Risch expressed his concerns about potential changes to Israel's status at the UN, stating: "Any attempt to alter Israel’s status at the UN is clearly antisemitic. If UN member states allow the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN, the United States must stop supporting the UN system, as it would clearly be beyond repair. I am disgusted this outrageous idea has even been discussed, and will do all I can to ensure any changes to Israel’s status will come with consequences."

The bill was introduced alongside several senators including Tom Cotton, Chuck Grassley, Bill Cassidy, Dan Sullivan, Steve Daines, Mike Lee, Kevin Cramer, John Barrasso, Pete Ricketts, Eric Schmitt, Rick Scott from Florida among others. It acts as companion legislation to bipartisan House bill HR 9374 led by Representative Mike Lawler.