[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 535 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 535

   Honoring the life, legacy, and example of Israeli Prime Minister 
          Yitzhak Rabin on the tenth anniversary of his death.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 4, 2005

Mr. Engel (for himself, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Ackerman, 
Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Waxman, and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) submitted the 
     following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Honoring the life, legacy, and example of Israeli Prime Minister 
          Yitzhak Rabin on the tenth anniversary of his death.

Whereas Yitzhak Rabin was born March 1, 1922, in Jerusalem;
Whereas Yitzhak Rabin volunteered for the Palmach, the elite unit of the Haganah 
        (predecessor of the Israeli Defense Forces), and served for 27 years, 
        including during the 1948 War of Independence, the 1956 Suez War, and as 
        Chief of Staff in the June 1967 Six Day War;
Whereas in 1975, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the interim agreement with 
        Egypt (Sinai II) which laid the groundwork for the 1979 Camp David Peace 
        Treaty between Israel and Egypt;
Whereas Yitzhak Rabin served as Ambassador to the United States from 1968-1973, 
        Minister of Defense from 1984-1990, and Prime Minister from 1974-1977 
        and from 1992 until his assassination in 1995;
Whereas on September 13, 1993, in Washington, D.C., Yitzhak Rabin signed the 
        Declaration of Principles framework agreement between Israel and the 
        Palestinians;
Whereas upon the signing of the Declaration of Principles, Yitzhak Rabin said to 
        the Palestinian people: ``We say to you today in a loud and clear voice: 
        Enough of blood and tears. Enough! We harbor no hatred toward you. We 
        have no desire for revenge. We, like you, are people who want to build a 
        home, plant a tree, love, live side by side with you--in dignity, 
        empathy, as human beings, as free men.'';
Whereas Yitzhak Rabin received the 1994 Nobel Prize for Peace for his vision and 
        bravery as a peacemaker, saying at the time: ``There is only one radical 
        means of sanctifying human lives. Not armored plating, or tanks, or 
        planes, or concrete fortifications. The one radical solution is 
        peace.'';
Whereas on October 26, 1994, Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan signed a 
        peace treaty between Israel and Jordan;
Whereas on November 4, 1995, Yitzhak Rabin was brutally assassinated after 
        attending a peace rally in Tel Aviv where his last words were: ``I have 
        always believed that the majority of the people want peace, are prepared 
        to take risks for peace . . . Peace is what the Jewish People aspire 
        to.''; and
Whereas Yitzhak Rabin dedicated his life to the cause of peace and security for 
        the state of Israel by defending his nation against all threats, 
        including terrorism and undertaking courageous risks in the pursuit of 
        peace: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) honors the historic role of Yitzhak Rabin for his 
        distinguished service to the Israeli people and extends its 
        deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of Yitzhak Rabin 
        and the people of Israel on the tenth anniversary of his death;
            (2) recognizes and reiterates its continued support for the 
        close ties and special relationship between the United States 
        and Israel;
            (3) expresses its admiration for Yitzhak Rabin's legacy and 
        reaffirms its commitment to the process of building a just and 
        lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors;
            (4) condemns any and all acts of terrorism; and
            (5) reaffirms unequivocally the sacred principle that 
        democratic leaders and governments must be changed only by the 
        democratically-expressed will of the people.
                                 <all>