[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 13, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 H. RES. 268, REAFFIRMING THE UNITED STATES COMMITMENT TO A NEGOTIATED 
 SETTLEMENT OF THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT THROUGH DIRECT ISRAELI-
                        PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 13, 2011

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, the Palestinian plan to unilaterally declare 
statehood targets the core underpinning of the peace process--the 
principle of mutual recognition.
  In their tactics and their tone, Palestinian leaders have proclaimed 
that seeking to delegitimize Israel is more important to them than a 
prosperous future for their own people. It is a travesty and a tragedy.
  To reiterate what President Obama made clear in his May 19 speech: 
``Palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the 
right of Israel to exist.''
  For all the terrorist attacks that have claimed thousands of Israeli 
lives, for all the domestic trauma and security risks Israel undertook 
in its withdrawals from Gaza and Lebanon, for all the settlement 
freezes and stalled talks, Israel has always returned to the 
negotiating table in faith that a peace agreement is possible. But 
unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood is the one thing from 
which the peace process cannot recover.
  What will be left to negotiate? And at this point who will be there 
to negotiate with? The PLO? Hamas? A ``technocratic'' unity government 
that has no political standing?
  If the Palestinian leadership is serious about statehood and about 
entering the United Nations as a responsible, sovereign nation, it 
should drop its preconditions, reenter direct talks and recognize 
Israel as a Jewish State.
  I strongly support H. Res. 268, which reaffirms Administration policy 
and previous congressional resolutions on this issue. With this vote, 
we must redouble efforts to work with our allies and the international 
community to pressure the Palestinian leadership to change course 
towards a just and lasting peace.

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