[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 345 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 345

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the President should reassert 
   the traditional opposition of the United States to the unilateral 
                  declaration of a Palestinian State.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 8, 1998

   Mr. Saxton (for himself, Mr. Salmon, and Mr. DeLay) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the President should reassert 
   the traditional opposition of the United States to the unilateral 
                  declaration of a Palestinian State.

Whereas the United States has never endorsed the creation of an independent 
        Palestinian State;
Whereas the United States has traditionally opposed the unilateral declaration 
        of a Palestinian State because of concerns that such a State could pose 
        a threat to Israel and could have a destabilizing effect on the entire 
        Middle East;
Whereas the United States stated its position, after Israel and the Palestinians 
        signed the Oslo Accords, that all questions of Palestinian sovereignty 
        and statehood are matters which must be mutually agreed upon by the 
        parties;
Whereas the administration's recent statements on a unilateral declaration of a 
        Palestinian State have been contradictory and confusing;
Whereas a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood would be a grievous 
        violation of the Oslo Accords;
Whereas despite the Oslo Accords, Chairman Arafat, his Cabinet, and the 
        Palestinian National Council have threatened to unilaterally proclaim 
        the establishment of a Palestinian State in May 1999;
Whereas the Palestinian Cabinet on September 24, 1998, stated: ``at the end of 
        the interim period, it (the Palestinian Government) shall declare the 
        establishment of a Palestinian State on all Palestinian land occupied 
        since 1967, with Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Palestinian 
        State'';
Whereas Chairman Arafat, speaking to the United Nations on September 28, 1998, 
        called upon world leaders to support an independent Palestinian State;
Whereas Chairman Arafat stated on July 15, 1998: ``There is a transition period 
        of 5 years and after 5 years we have the right to declare an independent 
        Palestinian State''; and
Whereas Palestinian National Council Speaker Salim al-Za'nun stated on June 15, 
        1998: ``If following our declaration of a State, Israel renews its 
        occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, the 
        Palestinian people will struggle and resist the occupier with all means 
        possible, including armed struggle'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) Israel, and Israel alone, can determine its security 
        needs;
            (2) the final political status of the Palestinian entity 
        can only be determined through bilateral negotiations and 
        agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority;
            (3) the President must reaffirm that any such unilateral 
        declaration of a Palestinian State would be a grievous 
        violation of the Oslo Accords, would seriously impede any 
        possibility of advancing the peace process, and would have 
        severe negative consequences for Palestinian relations with the 
        United States; and
            (4) the President should now publicly and unequivocally 
        state that the United States will actively oppose such a 
        unilateral declaration and will not extend recognition to any 
        unilaterally declared Palestinian State.
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