[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 258 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 258

Affirming United States support for the continued implementation of the 
  Treaty of Peace between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of 
                                Israel.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 27, 2019

 Mr. Connolly (for himself and Mr. Wilson of South Carolina) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Affirming United States support for the continued implementation of the 
  Treaty of Peace between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of 
                                Israel.

Whereas the Treaty of Peace between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of 
        Israel, signed on March 26, 1979, including the Annexes thereto, by 
        Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin 
        in Washington, DC (in this resolution referred to as the ``Treaty of 
        Peace''), was the first peace agreement between Israel and an Arab 
        country;
Whereas Article III of the Treaty of Peace establishes ``full recognition, 
        diplomatic, economic and cultural relations, termination of economic 
        boycotts and discriminatory barriers to the free movement of people and 
        goods'' between Egypt and Israel;
Whereas the Treaty of Peace followed the United States-mediated 1978 Camp David 
        Accords, which was signed by President Jimmy Carter, President Sadat, 
        and Prime Minister Begin;
Whereas President Sadat and Prime Minister Begin were awarded the 1978 Nobel 
        Peace Prize for their commitment to peaceful reconciliation;
Whereas Egypt and Israel committed to the partial demilitarization of the Sinai 
        Peninsula monitored by the Multinational Force and Observers in 
        accordance with the Protocol between Egypt and Israel signed on August 
        3, 1981, relating to the implementation of the security arrangements of 
        the Treaty of Peace;
Whereas the Multinational Force and Observers deployed in the Sinai Peninsula 
        and have supervised the implementation of the Treaty of Peace since 
        1982;
Whereas the United States agreed to provide military forces, civilian observers, 
        and pay a portion of the annual operating expenses, which leverages 
        financial or personnel contributions from Egypt, Israel, Italy, 
        Australia, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Fiji, Finland, France, 
        Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Korea, 
        Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Uruguay;
Whereas the March 26, 1979, Memorandum of Agreement between the United States 
        and Israel confirms ``the withdrawal from Sinai imposes additional heavy 
        security, military and economic burdens on Israel'';
Whereas the United States peacekeeping contingent of the Multinational Force and 
        Observers ensures a separation of Egyptian military forces from the 
        Israeli border;
Whereas Israel and her neighbors depend on the United States as an arbiter of 
        peace, including responsibility for supporting the Multinational Force 
        and Observers;
Whereas successive administrations have expressed strong commitment to the 
        United States contributing role to the Multinational Force and Observers 
        in a bipartisan manner alongside Egypt and Israel;
Whereas upon signing the Multinational Force and Observers Participation 
        Resolution (Public Law 97-132; 95 Stat. 1693) into law, which authorizes 
        the participation of the United States in the Multinational Force and 
        Observers, President Ronald Reagan affirmed ``I am gratified that both 
        the executive and legislative branches addressed this matter which is so 
        vital to our nation's foreign policy in a spirit of close consultation 
        and cooperation. This legislation demonstrates the results that can be 
        achieved through working together in that spirit.'';
Whereas under President Bill Clinton, Defense Secretary William Cohen addressed 
        the United States Multinational Force and Observers contingent declaring 
        ``without peace in the Sinai, it would be very difficult to promote a 
        wider, regional peace'';
Whereas despite ongoing security challenges, since Sinai was demarcated, there 
        has been peace between Egypt and Israel in addition to unparalleled 
        security relations between the two countries, upheld by cooperation 
        within the Multinational Force and Observers;
Whereas Congress designated Israel as a ``major strategic partner'' of the 
        United States in 2014; and
Whereas United States-designated foreign terrorist organizations, such as 
        Islamic State-Sinai Province, pose a threat to the region by leading 
        insurgencies against Egypt: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the importance of the Treaty of Peace 
        between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Israel, 
        signed on March 26, 1979, including the Annexes thereto, on its 
        40th anniversary;
            (2) reaffirms the critical role of the Multinational Force 
        and Observers for upholding peace and stability between Egypt 
        and Israel, and in the Middle East broadly;
            (3) encourages the United States to continue its important 
        military, civilian, and financial commitments to the 
        Multinational Force and Observers; and
            (4) reaffirms the importance of establishing peace between 
        Israel and her neighbors.
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