[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 146 (Friday, August 14, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E759-E760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCING THE ISRAELI ANNEXATION NON-RECOGNITION ACT TO PROTECT THE 
                  PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND PROMOTE PEACE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 14, 2020

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, yesterday, with the announcement of the 
agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalize 
diplomatic relations, Speaker Pelosi issued a statement regarding the 
news. An important sentence in the statement was powerful, necessary, 
and correct: ``The House continues to object to steps including 
unilateral annexation that will undermine future efforts to advance a 
just, stable, and lasting peace in the Middle East.''
  I agree.
  For years, the centerpiece of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin 
Netanyahu's political agenda has been his explicit desire and intent to 
unilaterally annex as much as 30 percent of Palestinian territory in 
the West Bank. He calls it a ``historic opportunity.'' Even though 
annexation is a clear violation of international law and the 
fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, the Trump administration, 
along with right-wing Jewish groups and extremists in the evangelical 
Christian community in the U.S., allies of Netanyahu, have championed 
annexation.
  Millions of Palestinians have lived for decades under Israel's 
military occupation. Now the Palestinian people fear that any hope for 
self-determination or the opportunity to live with dignity, equality, 
and justice will be extinguished through the annexation of their land 
by Israel with the support of an American president.
  Today, I am introducing legislation in the U.S. House--the Israeli 
Annexation Non-Recognition Act--to prohibit appropriated U.S. funds 
from being directed to any area in the occupied West Bank annexed by 
Israel. I want Palestinians and Israelis to have their human rights 
respected, their right to self-determination realized, and a future 
with peace, security, equality, and justice. Annexation is antithetical 
to these goals and will fuel conflict, injustice, and an abhorrent 
system of apartheid. This is an intolerable outcome for Palestinians, 
Israelis, and Americans.
  I reject annexation. I condemn annexation. And, I will work to ensure 
the U.S. does not support, defend, or legitimize any plan or action by 
Israel to illegally annex Palestinian lands.
  Yesterday's diplomatic agreement between Israel and the UAE changes 
nothing. Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Trump have taken nothing off the table. 
Their promises and commitments are worthless. They have both proven 
time and time again that they cannot be trusted.
  The Israeli newspaper Haaretz ran a headline today citing comments 
from the U.S. Ambassador to Israel that makes it clear annexation is 
still being contemplated by Israeli and U.S. officials at the highest 
levels. Referring to annexation, the headline read, ``Pro-settler 
Ambassador Friedman argues `it's not off the table permanently' after 
historic agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the UAE.''

[[Page E760]]

  The same Haaretz article, included for the Record, cited Prime 
Minister Netanyahu saying annexation is ``still on the table'' and that 
``extending sovereignty will be done only alongside the United 
States.'' A senior Israeli political source is quoted as saying, 
``Applying sovereignty (to the West Bank) is on the table and we're 
committed to it.''
  Again, nothing has changed. The annexation of Palestinian lands must 
be stopped and must never be aided or abetted by any U.S. 
administration. The Palestinian people should be fully engaged 
diplomatically by the next U.S. president as partners and constructive 
peacemakers empowered to negotiate and determine their own political 
and economic future. Never again should the people of Palestine be 
ignored, isolated, and boycotted as the Trump administration has done.
  Democrats in Congress, led by the courageous and righteous co-
sponsors of this bill, must act to send an unambiguous message that 
annexation is contrary to U.S. interests and would devastate the U.S.-
lsrael bilateral relationship. The Palestinian people deserve the 
support of Congress and the American people in this dark moment. If our 
nation is truly a beacon of democracy, then let us use our power for 
good to protect the Palestinian people from Mr. Netanyahu's illegal 
annexation.

                     [From Reuters, Aug. 14, 2020]

After Netanyahu Commits to Future Annexation, Trump Says it's `now Off 
                               the Table'

                            (By Noa Landau)


    Pro-settler Ambassador Friedman argues `it's not off the table 
 permanently' after historic agreement to normalize relations between 
                           Israel and the UAE

       U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday night that Israel 
     made a `great concession' by agreeing to suspend West Bank 
     annexation as part of its agreement to normalize relations 
     with the United Arab Emirates, adding that for now `it's off 
     the table.'
       Earlier on Thursday, Israel and the UAE reached a historic 
     peace deal on that would lead to a full normalization of 
     diplomatic relations between the two Middle Eastern nations 
     in an agreement that Trump helped broker.
       ``Israel agreed not to annex parts of the West Bank. It is 
     more than taking it off the table--they agreed not to do it. 
     This is a very smart concession by Israel. It is off the 
     table now,'' Trump said during a White House briefing.
       This comes in contrast to Prime Minister Benjamin 
     Netanyahu's earlier remarks that annexation is ``still on the 
     table,'' and that it is a pledge the prime minister said he 
     is ``committed to.''
       In addition, an Israeli senior political source said that 
     ``Applying sovereignty [to the West Bank] is on the table and 
     we're committed to it. The Trump administration requested to 
     temporarily suspend the announcement [of annexation] to first 
     implement the historic peace agreement with the UAE.''
       Asked about Netanyahu's statement that he considers this a 
     `temporary suspension,' and that the option of annexation 
     will still exist in the future, Trump responded that ``Right 
     now it's off the table, I can't talk about sometime in the 
     future, that's a big statement, but right now it's off the 
     table.''
       U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, however, said 
     that ``it's off the table now but it's not off the table 
     permanently. You can't have peace and annexation at the same 
     time.''
       Speaking in a televised speech earlier on Thursday, 
     Netanyahu said that ``Today marks a new era in Israel's 
     relations with the Arab world'' and that the two countries 
     agreed on ``a full, formal peace.''
       ``For years, Israel has been portrayed as an enemy . . . 
     now more countries will join us in this circle of peace,'' 
     the prime minister said.
       He added that annexation is ``still on the table,'' and 
     that it is a promise Netanyahu said he is ``committed to.''.
       ``Extending sovereignty will be done only alongside the 
     United States,'' Netanyahu said. ``Without coordination, in 
     the best case, will do nothing, and in the worst case, will 
     harm relations between us. The United States asked that 
     Israel temporarily postpone annexation.''

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