East Idaho Times

U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) has joined 24 Senate colleagues in introducing the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act. This legislation aims to update existing funding prohibitions that would lead the United States to cease assistance to entities granting additional rights and privileges to the Palestinian Authority.

The bill is spearheaded by Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It is also cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Marco Rubio(R-Florida), Tommy Tuberville(R-Alabama) Joni Ernst(R-Iowa) Markwayne Mullin(R-Oklahoma) and John Thune(R-South Dakota).

On Friday, May 10, 2024, the Palestinian Authority will seek a vote in the United Nations General Assembly to enhance its current status at the UN. This enhanced status may not amount to full membership but would include numerous rights and privileges previously only granted to full members.

Existing U.S. law prohibits funding for organizations such as the UN that give the PLO full membership or standing as a member state. The NOPE Act updates this prohibition, extending it to organizations offering the PLO "any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status."