[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 282 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 282
Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the peace treaty between Egypt and
Israel.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 24, 2009
Mr. Fortenberry (for himself and Mr. Ellison) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the peace treaty between Egypt and
Israel.
Whereas the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel signed in Washington, DC, on
March 26, 1979, set an unprecedented example of reconciliation following
decades marked by periods of heightened confrontation and tension,
including the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the Suez Crisis of 1956, the War of
Attrition along the Suez Canal, and the Arab-Israeli War of 1973;
Whereas United States diplomatic efforts and initiatives in the aftermath of the
1973 Arab-Israeli War helped build the foundations of a lasting peace
between Egypt and Israel;
Whereas pursuant to an invitation by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin,
President Anwar al-Sadat became the first Arab leader to visit and
recognize Israel on November 20, 1977, when he delivered a historic
address before Israel's Parliament, the Knesset, calling for Egypt and
Israel to ``. . . stand together with the . . . boldness of heroes who
dedicate themselves to a sublime aim . . . to erect a huge edifice of
peace . . . an edifice that . . . serves as a beacon for generations to
come'';
Whereas Prime Minister Menachem Begin and President Sadat demonstrated
remarkable character and courage in their willingness to move beyond
decades of hostility, bitterness, and mistrust to launch an
unprecedented rapprochement without any guarantee as to the potential
outcome of their mutual determination to engage in United States-
mediated peace talks;
Whereas successive administrations worked diligently to facilitate intensive
discussions in the hope of achieving a historic diplomatic breakthrough
on Middle East peace, and President Jimmy Carter invited the two leaders
to Camp David for intensive discussions from September 5-17, 1978;
Whereas, on September 17, 1978, the United States witnessed the signing of two
framework agreements between the Governments of Egypt and Israel, ``A
Framework for Peace in the Middle East'' and ``A Framework for the
Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel'';
Whereas, on March 26, 1979, President Sadat and Prime Minister Begin signed the
first treaty between an Arab nation and Israel;
Whereas the primary features of the peace treaty included the mutual recognition
of Egypt and Israel by each other, the end of the state of war between
the two nations dating back to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the complete
withdrawal by Israel of its armed forces and civilians from the Sinai
Peninsula, freedom of passage for Israeli ships through the Suez Canal,
and recognition of the Strait of Tiran and the Gulf of Aqaba as
international waterways;
Whereas United States leadership played a decisive role in enabling Egypt and
Israel to set aside longstanding animosities;
Whereas the conclusion of the treaty between Egypt and Israel set a courageous
example of statesmanship in the face of widespread opposition;
Whereas as a direct result of the peace treaty, the Arab League suspended Egypt
from its membership from 1979 until 1989;
Whereas, in 1981, President Sadat was assassinated in Cairo by Egyptian soldiers
who belonged to the Gama`ah Islamiyah (Islamic Group) and Egyptian
Islamic Jihad;
Whereas, on October 26, 1994, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and King
Hussein of Jordan followed in the path set by President Sadat and Prime
Minister Begin, signing the Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace;
Whereas the legacy of the treaty was poignantly echoed at the memorial service
of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated on
November 4, 1995;
Whereas, despite the existence of tensions and grievances, the peace treaty
between Egypt and Israel continues to challenge presuppositions about
the intransigence of conflict in the Middle East and provides an
enduring framework for facilitating dialogue; and
Whereas Egypt and Israel continue to collaborate in ongoing efforts to address
regional difficulties despite the security challenges facing both
nations: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the 30th anniversary of the peace treaty
between Egypt and Israel, celebrates the treaty's strength and
endurance, and commends the extraordinary diplomatic
achievement that the treaty exemplifies;
(2) recalls the historic sacrifices sustained by Egypt and
Israel in cause of peace and commends the steadfast
determination of both nations to sustain their mutual
commitment to peace;
(3) calls for the strengthening of economic, diplomatic,
and cultural relations between Egypt and Israel;
(4) urges the Governments of Egypt and Israel to strengthen
the spirit of cooperation that emerged in 1979 as the Middle
East faces new challenges;
(5) seeks to encourage continued United States efforts to
foster candid, constructive initiatives to resolve existing
conflicts and mitigate current and emerging threats to a just
and lasting Middle East peace; and
(6) calls for recognition of the peace treaty between Egypt
and Israel as a model mechanism upon which partner nations may
build to overcome longstanding barriers to peace and effective
mutual cooperation.
<all>