Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Hellenic Caucus co-founder and co-chair, joined her fellow Caucus co-chair and lead sponsor Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), and fellow New Yorker Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) in introducing H.R. 3131, bipartisan legislation that expresses gratitude to the government of Greece for preventing the Gaza flotilla from setting sail in contravention of Israel’s legal blockade of Gaza.
The bill would also require the State Department to submit a report to Congress on whether any support organization that participated in the planning or execution of the recent Gaza flotilla attempt should be designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
“Greece’s decision reflects its commitment to international law and regional stability, and conforms with the view of the UN Secretary-General, the European Union, and the Quartet,” said Rep. Maloney. “The Greek government generously offered to transport the flotilla organizers’ humanitarian cargo through established channels to Gaza. The organizers’ refusal of Greece’s offer signals, once again, their primary concern is less than humanitarian. Given these groups’ suspected ties to terrorist organizations and support for Hamas, we call on the State Department to determine whether the flotilla organizers should be designated as terrorist groups.”
