[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1731 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1731

     Reaffirming Congressional opposition to the declaration of a 
               Palestinian state, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 18, 2010

  Mr. Poe of Texas (for himself, Ms. Berkley, Mr. Weiner, and Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Reaffirming Congressional opposition to the declaration of a 
               Palestinian state, and for other purposes.

Whereas a true and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians can only be 
        achieved through direct negotiations between the parties;
Whereas the leadership of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine 
        Liberation Organization (PLO) have repeatedly refused to negotiate 
        directly with the Government of Israel, demanding unprecedented 
        preconditions from Israel in exchange for their return to direct 
        negotiations;
Whereas Palestinian leaders have repeatedly threatened to unilaterally declare a 
        Palestinian state and to seek recognition of a Palestinian state by the 
        United Nations and other international forums;
Whereas Palestinian leaders are reportedly holding high-level discussions on 
        pursuing recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Nations and 
        other international forums;
Whereas UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry on 
        October 26, 2010, expressed his support for recognition of a Palestinian 
        state by the United Nations;
Whereas, on March 11, 1999, the Senate adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, 
        and on March 16, 1999, the House of Representatives adopted House 
        Concurrent Resolution 24, both of which resolved that ``any attempt to 
        establish Palestinian statehood outside the negotiating process will 
        invoke the strongest congressional opposition.'';
Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stated on October 20, 2010, 
        that ``There is no substitute for face-to-face discussion and, 
        ultimately, for an agreement that leads to a just and lasting peace.'';
Whereas Secretary Clinton stated on November 10, 2010, that ``Negotiations 
        between the parties is the only means by which all the outstanding 
        claims arising out of the [Israeli-Palestinian] conflict can be resolved 
        . . . So we do not support unilateral steps by either party that could 
        prejudge the outcome of such negotiations.'';
Whereas, on November 10, 2010, the Israeli Knesset adopted a resolution 
        ``reject[ing] entirely the threats of some Palestinian leaders to 
        declare unilateral Palestinian statehood . . . [affirming] that all 
        points of dispute must be debated only within the framework of direct 
        negotiations . . . [and] call[ing] on the Palestinian leadership to 
        return to the negotiating table.'';
Whereas Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, in a speech at Bar Ilan 
        University in Israel on June 14, 2009, stated that ``[A] fundamental 
        prerequisite for ending the conflict is a public, binding and 
        unequivocal Palestinian recognition of Israel as the nation state of the 
        Jewish people . . . Therefore, today we ask our friends in the 
        international community, led by the United States, for what is critical 
        to the security of Israel: Clear commitments that in a future peace 
        agreement, the territory controlled by the Palestinians will be 
        demilitarized . . . If we receive this guarantee regarding 
        demilitarization and Israel's security needs, and if the Palestinians 
        recognize Israel as the State of the Jewish people, then we will be 
        ready in a future peace agreement to reach a solution where a 
        demilitarized Palestinian state exists alongside the Jewish state.'';
Whereas efforts to bypass negotiations and to unilaterally declare a Palestinian 
        state or to appeal to the United Nations or other international forums 
        for recognition of a Palestinian state would clearly and fundamentally 
        violate the underlying principles of the 1993 Oslo Accords and the 
        Middle East peace process, and represent another instance of the 
        Palestinian leadership's noncompliance with its commitments under 
        existing agreements; and
Whereas United States opposition to any unilateral Palestinian declaration of 
        statehood or related measures should be reaffirmed strongly and 
        unequivocally: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, by the House of Representatives that Congress--
            (1) reaffirms its strong opposition to any attempt to 
        establish a Palestinian state outside the negotiating process;
            (2) strongly and unequivocally opposes any attempt to seek 
        recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Nations or 
        other international forums;
            (3) calls upon the Administration to continue its 
        opposition to the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian 
        state;
            (4) calls upon the Administration to affirm that the United 
        States would deny any recognition, legitimacy, or support of 
        any kind to any unilaterally declared ``Palestinian state'' and 
        would urge other responsible nations to follow suit, and to 
        make clear that any such unilateral declaration would 
        constitute a grievous violation of the principles underlying 
        the Oslo Accords and the Middle East peace process;
            (5) calls upon the Administration to affirm that the United 
        States will oppose any attempt to seek recognition of a 
        Palestinian state by the United Nations or other international 
        forums and will veto any resolution to that end by the United 
        Nations Security Council;
            (6) calls upon the President and the Secretary of State to 
        lead a high-level diplomatic effort to encourage the European 
        Union and other responsible nations to strongly and 
        unequivocally oppose the unilateral declaration of a 
        Palestinian state or any attempt to seek recognition of a 
        Palestinian state by the United Nations or other international 
        forums; and
            (7) supports the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian 
        conflict and the achievement of a true and lasting peace 
        through direct negotiations between the parties.
                                 <all>