[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 276 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 276

   Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding fighting terror and 
        embracing efforts to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 25, 2003

  Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Chafee, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. 
 Leahy, and Mr. Lautenberg) submitted the following resolution; which 
           was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding fighting terror and 
        embracing efforts to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Whereas ending the violence and terror that have devastated Israel, the West 
        Bank, and Gaza since September 2000 is in the vital interests of the 
        United States, Israel, and the Palestinians;
Whereas ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict strengthens extremists and 
        opponents of peace throughout the region, including those who seek to 
        undermine efforts by the United States to stabilize Iraq and those who 
        want to see conflict spread to other nations in the region;
Whereas more than 3 years of violence, terror, and escalating military 
        engagement have demonstrated that military means alone will not solve 
        the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
Whereas despite mutual mistrust, anger, and pain, courageous and credible 
        Israelis and Palestinians have come together in a private capacity to 
        develop serious model peace initiatives, like the People's Voice 
        Initiative, One Voice, and the Geneva Accord;
Whereas those initiatives, and other similar private efforts, are founded on the 
        determination of Israelis and Palestinians to put an end to decades of 
        confrontation and conflict and to live in peaceful coexistence, mutual 
        dignity, and security, based on a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace 
        and achieving historic reconciliation;
Whereas those initiatives demonstrate that both Israelis and Palestinians have a 
        partner for peace, that both peoples want to end the current vicious 
        stalemate, and that both peoples are prepared to make necessary 
        compromises in order to achieve peace;
Whereas each of the private initiatives addresses the fundamental requirements 
        of both peoples, including preservation of the Jewish, democratic nature 
        of Israel with secure and defensible borders and the creation of a 
        viable Palestinian state; and
Whereas such peace initiatives demonstrate that there are solutions to the 
        conflict and present precious opportunities to end the violence and 
        restart fruitful peace negotiations: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) applauds the courage and vision of Israelis and 
        Palestinians who are working together to conceive pragmatic, 
        serious plans for achieving peace;
            (2) calls on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to capitalize 
        on the opportunity offered by these peace initiatives; and
            (3) urges the President of the United States to encourage 
        and embrace all serious efforts to move away from violent 
        military stalemate toward achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace.
                                 <all>