[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 171 (Thursday, October 1, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6029-S6030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 745--HONORING THE LIFE, LEGACY, AND EXAMPLE OF FORMER 
  ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER YITZHAK RABIN ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS 
                                 DEATH

  Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. Portman, Mr. Leahy, Mrs. Capito, Mr. 
Murphy, Ms. Collins, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Cramer, and Mr. Kaine) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 745

       Whereas Yitzhak Rabin was born March 1, 1922, in Jerusalem;
       Whereas Yitzhak Rabin served as Ambassador to the United 
     States from 1968 to 1973, Minister of Defense from 1984 to 
     1990, and Prime Minister from 1974 to 1977 and from 1992 
     until his assassination in 1995;
       Whereas, in 1975, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the 
     interim agreement with Egypt which laid the groundwork for 
     the 1979 Camp David Peace Treaty between Israel and Egypt;
       Whereas, on September 13, 1993, in Washington, D.C., 
     Yitzhak Rabin signed the Declaration of Principles framework 
     agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, also known as 
     the Oslo Accords;
       Whereas Yitzhak Rabin, along with Shimon Peres and Yasser 
     Arafat, received the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts 
     to create peace in the Middle East;
       Whereas, in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize, 
     Rabin said, ``We will pursue the course of peace with 
     determination and fortitude. We will not let up. We will not 
     give in. Peace will triumph over all our enemies,

[[Page S6030]]

     because the alternative is grim for us all. And we will 
     prevail. We will prevail because we regard the building of 
     peace as a great blessing for us, and for our children after 
     us.'';
       Whereas, on October 26, 1994, Yitzhak Rabin and King 
     Hussein of Jordan signed a peace treaty between Israel and 
     Jordan, saying at the time: ``There is only one radical means 
     of sanctifying human lives. Not armored plating, or tanks, or 
     planes, or concrete fortifications. The one radical solution 
     is peace.'';
       Whereas, on November 4, 1995, Yitzhak Rabin was 
     assassinated after attending a peace rally in Tel Aviv, where 
     his last words were, ``I have always believed that the 
     majority of the people want peace, are prepared to take risks 
     for peace . . . Peace is what the Jewish People aspire to.'';
       Whereas Yitzhak Rabin dedicated his life to the cause of 
     peace and security for the State of Israel by defending his 
     nation against all threats, including terrorism and invasion, 
     and undertaking courageous risks in the pursuit of peace;
       Whereas, in the years following Yitzhak Rabin's 
     assassination, successive United States administrations have 
     sought to help Israel and the Palestinians achieve a 
     negotiated two-state solution that ends their conflict; and
       Whereas, twenty-five years later, the leadership of Yitzhak 
     Rabin can be a model for securing peace during a time of 
     conflict: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the historic role of Yitzhak Rabin for his 
     distinguished service to the Israeli people and extends its 
     deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of Yitzhak 
     Rabin and the people of Israel on the 25th anniversary of his 
     death;
       (2) recognizes and reiterates its continued support for the 
     close ties and special relationship between the United States 
     and Israel;
       (3) expresses support and admiration for community leaders 
     and government officials who work tirelessly to encourage co-
     existence and cooperation between the Israelis and 
     Palestinians; and
       (4) reaffirms its strong support for a negotiated solution 
     to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states--
     a democratic Jewish State of Israel, and a viable, democratic 
     Palestinian state--living side-by-side in peace, security, 
     and mutual recognition.

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