[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 126 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 126

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

              October 8 (legislative day, October 2), 1998

    Mr. D'Amato (for himself and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of 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 would likely 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 that ``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 in speaking to the United Nations on September 28, 1998, 
        called on world leaders to support an independent Palestinian state;
Whereas Chairman Arafat stated on July 15, 1998, that ``[t]here 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, that: ``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 Senate (the House of Representatives 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) 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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