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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, On April 25, 2010, Hamas released an animated film
3 bearing a grisly message for Israel stating that if Israel does
4 not meet the Islamic militant group's demands, captured Israeli
5 soldier Sgt. Gilad Schilat could return home in a coffin; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The short but sophisticated cartoon, which
7 depicts Sgt. Schalit's aging father wandering empty streets
8 with a picture of his son and ends with the words "there is
9 still hope", is the latest product of Hamas' growing media
10 machine; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Television and radio stations controlled by the
12 group continuously broadcast Hamas-produced songs and music
13 videos threatening the Jewish state and rallying the group's
14 militant Islamic base; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The latest cartoon, which was widely broadcast on
16 Israeli TV, was remarkable for the personal callous nature of
17 the appeal on an issue that has profound emotional resonance
18 for many Israelis: the fate of Sgt. Schalit, who was captured
19 by Gaza militants in June 2006; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The website of Hamas' armed wing, which posted the
21 video, said it was intended to pressure Israelis to accept

 

 

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1 demands for a prisoner swap and warns the Israeli government it
2 could regret not making a deal quickly; and
 
3     WHEREAS, The video was released just two days after Israel
4 permitted the daughter of Hamas' top security official in Gaza
5 to pass through Israel on her way to seek medical treatment in
6 Jordan; therefore, be it
 
7     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
8 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we condemn Hamas for
9 the release of this video; and be it further
 
10     RESOLVED, That we urge the citizens and the United States
11 government to condemn this film released by Hamas.