[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 74 (Tuesday, May 2, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1465-S1466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 188--CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING 
             OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Risch, Mr. Schumer, Mr. McConnell, Mr. 
Cardin, Mr. Romney, Mr. Coons, Mr. Young, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. 
Merkley, Mr. Rubio, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mrs. 
Shaheen, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Braun, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
Barrasso, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Hagerty, Mr. 
Graham, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Scott of Florida, and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 188

       Whereas May 14, 2023, marks the 75th anniversary of the 
     establishment of the State of Israel;
       Whereas May 11, 2023, marks the 74th anniversary of 
     Israel's membership in the United Nations;
       Whereas, on September 21, 1922, President Warren G. Harding 
     signed House Joint Resolution 322, after unanimous support 
     from the House of Representatives and the Senate, endorsing 
     the Balfour Declaration establishing a national home for the 
     Jewish people;
       Whereas, on May 14, 1948, the people of Israel proclaimed 
     the establishment of the sovereign and independent State of 
     Israel;
       Whereas, on May 14, 1948, President Harry S. Truman, on 
     behalf of the United States, was the first foreign leader to 
     recognize the Jewish government of the State of Israel;
       Whereas the establishment of the State of Israel realized 
     the right of the Jewish people to self-determination and is 
     an outgrowth of the existence of the historic and ancestral 
     kingdom of Israel established in the land of Israel 3,000 
     years ago with Jerusalem as its capital;
       Whereas the establishment of the modern State of Israel as 
     a homeland for the Jews followed the slaughter of more than 
     6,000,000 Jews during the Holocaust;
       Whereas the Declaration of the Establishment of the State 
     of Israel, proclaimed on May 14, 1948, states, in part, ``THE 
     STATE OF ISRAEL will be open for Jewish immigration and for 
     the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development 
     of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it 
     will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by 
     the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of 
     social and political rights to all its inhabitants 
     irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee 
     freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and 
     culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; 
     and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of 
     the United Nations.'';
       Whereas, to preserve these values and the institutions of 
     Israeli democracy, Israel has enacted and amended the Basic 
     Laws of Israel, which provide the foundation of Israel's 
     democratic system;
       Whereas Israel is home to a vibrant Arab community, 
     comprising an estimated 20 percent of Israel's population and 
     possessing equal rights under Israeli law;
       Whereas the people of Israel have established a pluralistic 
     democratic political system, including freedom of speech, a 
     free press, free, fair, and open elections, the rule of law, 
     and other democratic principles and practices;
       Whereas Israel--
       (1) offers invaluable contributions to the international 
     community, including humanitarian aid, entrepreneurship, 
     cybersecurity, military weaponry, counterterrorism, airport 
     security, agriculture, water management, arid-zone farming, 
     medical advances, natural gas, and other technologies; and
       (2) will promote a positive vision for emerging 
     technologies that is anchored by democratic values;
       Whereas robust bilateral ties with Israel--
       (1) contribute to the security interests of the United 
     States;
       (2) produce security, economic, and cultural benefits in 
     the region;
       (3) increase regional integration and stability; and

[[Page S1466]]

       (4) build confidence with respect to peace negotiations;
       Whereas Israel--
       (1) maintains diplomatic relations with 166 of the 193 
     member states of the United Nations; and
       (2) retains 80 resident embassies, 21 consulates general, 
     and 7 special missions globally;
       Whereas Israel maintains free trade agreements with the 
     United States, members of the European Union, members of the 
     European Free Trade Association, Canada, Mexico, Ukraine, 
     Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and other nation states;
       Whereas, in 1987, the United States Government designated 
     Israel as a major non-NATO ally;
       Whereas, in 2014, the United States Government designated 
     Israel as a major strategic partner;
       Whereas, on March 26, 1979, the Arab Republic of Egypt 
     signed a peace treaty with Israel, becoming the first Arab 
     country to establish full, normalized, diplomatic relations 
     with the State of Israel;
       Whereas, on October 26, 1994, the Hashemite Kingdom of 
     Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel, becoming the second 
     Arab country to normalize ties with Israel;
       Whereas security coordination between the State of Israel 
     and the Palestinian National Authority promotes stability and 
     is critical to deescalating tensions;
       Whereas the United States has actively supported and played 
     a significant role in the efforts to bring about Israeli-
     Palestinian peace, consistent with the long-standing United 
     States commitment to a sustainable, viable, two-state 
     solution negotiated directly between the parties, resulting 
     in an end to the conflict and two states for two peoples 
     based on mutual recognition, dignity, and peaceful neighborly 
     relations;
       Whereas, on September 15, 2020, the United States, the 
     State of Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of 
     Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords, consisting of agreements 
     to establish full relations between Israel and the United 
     Arab Emirates and between Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain;
       Whereas the landmark Abraham Accords were quickly followed 
     by agreements to normalize relations between Israel and Sudan 
     on October 23, 2020, and between Israel and Morocco on 
     December 10, 2020;
       Whereas Congress underscored in the Israel Relations 
     Normalization Act of 2022 (division Z of Public Law 117-103) 
     that the Abraham Accords, and related agreements and 
     frameworks, ``have the potential to fundamentally transform 
     the security, diplomatic, and economic environment in the 
     Middle East and North Africa and advance vital United States 
     national security interests'';
       Whereas the United States continues to build upon the 
     foundations and success of the Abraham Accords by urging 
     further normalization with Israel and by deepening regional 
     integration and cooperation, including between Israel and 
     Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and the United Arab 
     Emirates, most recently, through holding the Negev Summit on 
     March 27 and 28, 2022, in Sde Boker, Israel, and the 
     establishment of the Negev Forum on June 27, 2022, in Manama, 
     Bahrain;
       Whereas, on June 27, 2022, the Negev Forum Steering 
     Committee announced the establishment of--
       (1) 6 working groups that foster the integration of clean 
     energy, food and water security, education and coexistence, 
     health, regional security, and tourism; and
       (2) ``initiatives that strengthen the Palestinian economy 
     and improve the quality of life of Palestinians'';
       Whereas the joint security cooperation between the United 
     States and Israel in many fields, including intelligence 
     sharing, air defense technology, joint comprehensive military 
     exercises, and cybersecurity, has proven invaluable in 
     strengthening the national security of the United States and 
     Israel;
       Whereas Israel faces growing threats to its security, 
     including--
       (1) Iran's advancing nuclear program and support for global 
     terrorism;
       (2) terrorist threats from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic 
     Jihad, and Hizballah; and
       (3) other terrorist threats;
       Whereas the United States and Israel have signed three 10-
     year bilateral security cooperation and assistance memoranda 
     of understanding in which the United States committed to 
     provide Israel with security assistance valued at--
       (1) $26,700,000,000 during the 10-year period ending on 
     September 30, 2008;
       (2) $30,000,000,000 during the 10-year period ending on 
     September 30, 2018; and
       (3) $38,000,000,000 during the 10-year period ending on 
     September 30, 2028;
       Whereas Congress has appropriated amounts in accordance 
     with such memoranda of understanding, reflecting the two 
     countries' shared priorities in the region and the strength 
     of United States support for maintaining Israel's qualitative 
     military edge;
       Whereas Congress passed the Nita M. Lowey Middle East 
     Partnership for Peace Act of 2020 (title VIII of division K 
     of Public Law 116-260), which supports economic development 
     and peacebuilding efforts between Israelis and Palestinians;
       Whereas antisemitism continues to rise globally, reaching 
     an alarming all-time high during 2021 with 2,717 incidents in 
     the United States and an estimated 1,090,000,000 people 
     worldwide harboring antisemitic attitudes, making self-
     determination and a safe haven for the Jewish people even 
     more necessary;
       Whereas Israel has absorbed millions of Jews from countries 
     throughout the world and fully integrated them into Israeli 
     society;
       Whereas, the United States and Israel have maintained a 
     special relationship for 75 years based on mutually shared 
     democratic values, common strategic interests, and moral 
     bonds of friendship and mutual respect between their 
     countries and people;
       Whereas Israel's involvement as an active member of the 
     community of nations benefits Israel, the United States, and 
     all governments that share common values and promote 
     democratic stability throughout the world; and
       Whereas the United States will continue to advocate for 
     equitable treatment of Israel in international fora in the 
     face of antisemitic bias: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the historic significance of, and joins the 
     Israeli people in their celebration of, the 75th anniversary 
     of the founding of the State of Israel;
       (2) reaffirms--
       (A) the longstanding and indelible partnership between the 
     United States and Israel;
       (B) the unshakeable commitment of the United States to the 
     security of the State of Israel; and
       (C) the right of Israel to exist in peace, prosperity, and 
     security alongside its neighbors;
       (3) reiterates its support for a comprehensive and lasting 
     peace between Israelis and Palestinians, in which both enjoy 
     peace, security, and prosperity;
       (4) encourages the diplomatic recognition of the State of 
     Israel and robust engagement with Israel from all governments 
     around the world;
       (5) reiterates its support for the Abraham Accords, the 
     Negev Forum, and all other ongoing efforts to formalize and 
     strengthen relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors in 
     pursuit of a more integrated and peaceful region;
       (6) reaffirms its continuing support for Israel as a Jewish 
     and democratic state that is committed--
       (A) to defending the security, freedom and equality of all 
     its inhabitants, regardless of religion, race, or sex; and
       (B) to guaranteeing freedom of religion, conscience, 
     language, education, and culture;
       (7) reaffirms that the United States will continue to fight 
     against antisemitism globally and against the efforts to 
     delegitimize Israel in international fora;
       (8) commends the people of Israel for their remarkable 
     achievements in building a pluralistic democratic society in 
     the Middle East; and
       (9) extends the warmest congratulations and best wishes to 
     the State of Israel and her people for a peaceful, 
     prosperous, and successful future.

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