U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today filed an Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would eliminate U.S. funding for the United Nations if the General Assembly changes Palestine’s current status in the United Nations. According to press reports, the General Assembly may soon vote on whether the Palestinian Authority’s status with the United Nation’s will be upgraded from an observer “entity” to an “observer state.”

“Increasing the Palestinians’ role in the United Nations is absolutely the wrong approach, especially in light of recent military developments in the Middle East,” Hatch said. “Israel is one of America’s closest allies, and any movement to strengthen one of its fiercest enemies must not be tolerated.”

The Amendment Hatch introduced today follows an legislation he introduced last year, the Solidarity with Israel Act, that is designed to discourage the General Assembly from upgrading Palestine’s status. Any increase in Palestine’s status could directly impact the ability of the Palestinians to manipulate such UN-affiliated organizations as the International Criminal Court.  

Hatch’s Amendment was cosponsored by Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kans.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).