110 HCON 329 IH: Expressing the sense of Congress that U.S. House of Representatives 2008-04-16 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 329 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 16, 2008 Mr. Shuster submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that former Presidents and high-ranking political figures should refrain from freelance diplomacy against the wishes of the current Government and stated United States foreign policy.

Whereas Hamas has been designated by the United States and Israel as a terrorist group, and has been instrumental in organizing and executing acts of terror against innocent Israeli civilians; Whereas the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that since the beginning of the most recent wave of attacks by Palestinian terrorist groups against Israel, Hamas has executed over 52 suicide attacks that killed 288 Israelis and wounded 1,646; Whereas on March 6, 2008, eight students of the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem were killed and 11 wounded when a terrorist gunman opened fire in the school’s library, where about 80 people were gathered; Whereas Hamas released a statement approving of the Yeshiva attack, stating that the group blesses the [Jerusalem] operation [and] it will not be the last; Whereas on Sunday, April 13, 2008, former President Jimmy Carter arrived in Israel for a nine day tour of the Middle East to investigate the current climate for future Israeli-Palestinian peace talks; Whereas President Carter traveled to the Middle East without portfolio, despite being urged by the current Administration not to engage in freelance peace talks; Whereas President Carter met with members of Hamas, including exiled leader Khalid Mashall, which contradicts stated United States policy on terrorist groups; Whereas unofficial visits by former Presidents and high-ranking political figures in areas as unstable and important as the Middle East have the inherent danger of miscommunicating United States policy, and create a false impression of United States foreign policy to the region’s population; and Whereas such actions could have a destabilizing effect on the region and the security of the United States: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress— (1)expresses its solidarity with the State of Israel and its democratic Government; (2)continues its commitment to Israel’s sovereignty and the security of its people; (3)disapproves of former President Jimmy Carter’s freelance diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, which contradict the stated foreign policy position of the current Administration; (4)calls on President Carter to cease all diplomatic efforts with recognized terrorist groups; (5)condemns Hamas for its relentless support of terrorism and the slaughter of innocent Israeli civilians; and (6)demands Hamas cease all terrorist and paramilitary operations, throw away the failed policy of aggression against Israel, and follow the path of diplomacy to bring peace to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.