[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 101 (Friday, July 8, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REAFFIRMING COMMITMENT TO NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT OF ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN 
                                CONFLICT

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                               speech of

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 6, 2011

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, there is no region of the world more 
critical to achieving peace and security for Americans than the Middle 
East, yet no series of interconnected issues that has been more complex 
or vexing.
  Since coming to Congress I have been an advocate of stronger United 
States engagement to advance negotiations for a two-state solution and 
for a vision of a secure Israel and an independent Palestinian state 
living side by side.
  I, along with the rest of Congress and the administration, share the 
goal of preventing a vote for Palestinian statehood in the United 
Nations this September. Such a course of action will not hasten the 
creation of an independent Palestine, and will undermine progress.
  Unfortunately, the message delivered by H. Res. 268 was undercut by 
failing to present an evenhanded document. There was no acknowledgement 
of the administration's balanced approach to Middle East policy and the 
Israeli-Palestinian peace process in particular. The policy is 
consistent by political and historical standards--calling for a 
negotiated two-state solution along the 1967 borders with mutually 
agreed land swaps as the starting point in this dialogue. This is the 
language of current and previous U.S. administrations and was employed 
by the Israeli Prime Minister within the last year.
  The resolution would have been more credible by mentioning the unfair 
comments of Benjamin Netanyahu during his recent visit to Washington. A 
mention of U.S. opposition to Israel's unilateral construction of 
settlements would get the attention of the Palestinians, who after all 
we are trying to influence.
  To the extent that Congress is going to opine, it should do so in a 
balanced way. That is how we can move forward.

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