[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 5 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 5

        Expressing the sense of the Senate in support of Israel.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 3, 2017

Mr. Moran submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
        Expressing the sense of the Senate in support of Israel.

Whereas Israel is a strategic international partner and democratic ally of the 
        United States;
Whereas cooperation between Israel and the United States is of great importance, 
        especially amid a troubling security situation in the Middle East, North 
        Africa, and Europe;
Whereas strong relations between the United States and Israel benefit both 
        countries and the prospects for regional stability;
Whereas peace between the Israelis and Palestinians remains of strategic 
        interest to the United States;
Whereas support for Israel and peace between the Israelis and Palestinians have 
        long standing bipartisan support in Congress;
Whereas a bipartisan majority of the United States Senate in 2016 requested that 
        the President maintain a policy of opposing one-sided United Nations 
        Security Council resolutions targeting Israel;
Whereas, on December 23, 2016, the President and his delegates at the United 
        Nations departed from congressional directives and past United States 
        policy by declining to use United States veto power during a vote on a 
        United Nations Security Council resolution unfairly targeting Israel;
Whereas Congress has a constitutional role in determining the laws and foreign 
        policy of the United States; and
Whereas the commencement of the 115th Congress and the inauguration of a new 
        President create opportunities to improve relations between the United 
        States and Israel: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) urges the President and the international community to 
        join in supporting bilateral talks between the Israelis and 
        Palestinians;
            (2) expresses support for individuals and organizations 
        working to bring about peace and cooperation between the 
        Israelis and Palestinians;
            (3) opposes the use of the United Nations as a medium to 
        unfairly impose external remedies to challenges between the 
        Israelis and Palestinians;
            (4) objects to the December 2016 abstention and declination 
        to veto United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 by 
        delegates of the United States at the United Nations;
            (5) regrets and seeks to reverse the negative public 
        criticism of Israel by United States diplomats;
            (6) urges the President-elect to adopt a policy of opposing 
        and vetoing if necessary one-sided United Nations Security 
        Council resolutions targeting Israel;
            (7) rejects international efforts to delegitimize Israel's 
        right to exist;
            (8) supports Israel's right to self-defense;
            (9) condemns acts of terrorism and violence targeted at 
        Israeli civilians;
            (10) reiterates that Palestinian political goals will never 
        be achieved through violence; and
            (11) calls on all parties to return to negotiations and 
        without preconditions, as direct discussions remain the best 
        mechanism to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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