[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 61 Agreed to House (ATH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 61

Commending the people of Israel for conducting free and fair elections, 
 reaffirming the friendship between the Governments and peoples of the 
           United States and Israel, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 11, 2003

 Mr. Cantor (for himself, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. DeLay, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Blunt, 
 Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Lantos, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, and Mr. 
Ackerman) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

                           February 11, 2003

   Committee on International Relations discharged; considered under 
                 suspension of the rules and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Commending the people of Israel for conducting free and fair elections, 
 reaffirming the friendship between the Governments and peoples of the 
           United States and Israel, and for other purposes.

Whereas the United States and Israel are close allies whose people share a deep 
        and abiding friendship based on a shared commitment to democratic 
        values;
Whereas since its establishment in 1948, Israel has fulfilled the dreams of its 
        founders who envisioned a vigorous, open, and stable democracy;
Whereas an essential feature of Israeli democracy is its system of competitive, 
        free, and open elections;
Whereas on January 28, 2003, the people of Israel elected Israel's 16th Knesset, 
        or Parliament, which in turn will choose the Prime Minister of Israel; 
        and
Whereas the election on January 28, 2003, is the most recent example of the 
        commitment of Israel to the democratic ideals of freedom and pluralism, 
        ideals that Israel shares with the United States
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commends the people of Israel for reaffirming their 
        dedication to democratic ideals as expressed in the election on 
        January 28, 2003;
            (2) expresses both its respect for the freely expressed 
        will of the people of Israel, and its intention to engage in 
        constructive relations with the new Government of Israel, and 
        urges the international community to do so as well;
            (3) reaffirms the close bonds of friendship that have bound 
        the people of the United States and the people of Israel 
        together through turbulent times for more than half a century;
            (4) urges the Palestinian leadership to abide by its 
        commitments made to the United States and to Israel and urges 
        the Palestinian people to act on President Bush's call of June 
        24, 2002, to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure, end 
        incitement to violence in official media, elect new leaders not 
        compromised by terror, and embrace democracy; and
            (5) restates the commitment of the United States to a 
        secure peace for Israel.
                                 <all>