[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 686 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 686

 Expressing support for efforts to enhance Israeli security and create 
 the conditions for progress toward a negotiated two-state solution to 
                   the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 18, 2016

Mr. Yarmuth (for himself, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Doggett, Ms. 
Lee, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Welch, and Ms. Schakowsky) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for efforts to enhance Israeli security and create 
 the conditions for progress toward a negotiated two-state solution to 
                   the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Whereas the immediate and long-term security of the State of Israel are core 
        components of the United States-Israel special relationship;
Whereas the State of Israel, its soldiers and civilians have faced a wave of 
        stabbing and other terrorist attacks;
Whereas incitement against Israel and Israelis, including by Palestinian 
        officials, has contributed to the rise of such attacks;
Whereas, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Military Intelligence Chief Major General 
        Herzi Halevi reportedly highlighted for Israeli ministers that a sense 
        of despair and frustration among Palestinians has also contributed to 
        the rise of the current wave of violence;
Whereas IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot recently noted that, 
        ``security cooperation between the IDF and the Palestinian Security 
        forces is a shared interest of both parties'';
Whereas Lieutenant General Eisenkot also stated that taking steps to ensure that 
        Palestinians are able to lead hopeful lives and provide for their 
        families would benefit Israeli security;
Whereas the House of Representatives has repeatedly called for a negotiated two-
        state solution to ensure Israel's survival as a Jewish and democratic 
        state, living alongside a Palestinian state in peace and security;
Whereas the House of Representatives has also repeatedly expressed its 
        opposition to the Palestinian Government's strategy of seeking to 
        penalize and sanction the State of Israel or its citizens before 
        international tribunals such as the International Criminal Court;
Whereas Vice President of the United States Joseph R. Biden, Jr., stated on 
        March 20, 2016, ``Israel's government's steady and systematic process of 
        expanding settlements, legalizing outposts, seizing land, is eroding in 
        my view the prospect of a two-state solution''; and
Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry stated on December 5, 2015, that interim 
        confidence-building measures, while constructive, ``won't ever take the 
        place, however, of a real, credible political horizon for two states 
        that meets the legitimate aspirations of both peoples [which] could help 
        begin to reduce tensions, build some trust, restore a measure of hope, 
        open up new possibilities, and hopefully create some political space for 
        people to be able to make bigger, more critical decisions'': Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns in the strongest possible terms acts of 
        terrorism against Israelis;
            (2) mourns all loss of innocent life on both sides of the 
        Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
            (3) supports the Administration's continuing efforts to 
        ensure the long-term security of Israel through robust military 
        and intelligence cooperation and assistance, and its commitment 
        to strengthening that partnership;
            (4) encourages the United States Government to take further 
        steps to enhance Israel's immediate security, including--
                    (A) reconvening the Trilateral Commission on 
                Incitement to address and prevent violence-inspiring 
                rhetoric, as unanimously articulated in H. Res. 293;
                    (B) maintaining robust United States assistance to 
                train and help support the operational costs of 
                Palestinian security forces cooperating with Israeli 
                security forces to fight terrorism; and
                    (C) working with Israel on enhancing areas of 
                assistance and cooperation that would facilitate 
                greater freedom of movement, economic growth, access to 
                water and other elements of human security for 
                Palestinians living in the West Bank; and
            (5) encourages the United States Government to help create 
        the conditions for progress toward a negotiated two-state 
        solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by--
                    (A) consistently and firmly opposing efforts by the 
                Palestinians to seek penalties and sanctions against 
                the State of Israel and Israelis before international 
                tribunals such as the International Criminal Court;
                    (B) consistently and firmly articulating 49 years 
                of consistent, bipartisan United States opposition to 
                settlement expansion; and
                    (C) helping provide a political horizon for ending 
                the conflict by articulating a non-binding vision of 
                what a comprehensive final status agreement might 
                entail that could help foster and guide revived 
                negotiations between the parties.
                                 <all>