IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 448 

Recognizing the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians and acknowledging 

the sacrifices made in the interest of peace by the Israeli settlers who 

left the Gaza Strip voluntarily, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 15, 2005 

Mr. CAPUANO submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on International Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians 

and acknowledging the sacrifices made in the interest 

of peace by the Israeli settlers who left the Gaza Strip 

voluntarily, and for other purposes. 

Whereas the Government of Israel has committed to and accomplished its historic disengagement from the Gaza 

Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank; 

Whereas almost 9,000 Israelis left behind homes, farms, and 

business where they had lived and worked for more than 

30 years, accepting, as citizens of a democracy, a policy 

proposed by the Prime Minister and approved by the 

Knesset; 
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•HRES 448 IH 

Whereas the Israeli Defense Force and police officers carried 

out the evacuation in good order, with discipline and restraint; 

Whereas the Palestinian Authority worked to minimize violence so that the disengagement did not take place 

‘‘under fire’’; 

Whereas the Government of Egypt has undertaken responsibility to patrol the Philadelphi route on the border of 

Egypt and the Gaza Strip with 750 of its own police officers; 

Whereas the European Union has lauded the ‘‘historic 

progress’’ of disengagement and praised both Israel and 

the Palestinian Authority for the ‘‘commitment to overcome the difficult challenges they face’’; 

Whereas the United Nations Security Council commended 

both Israel and the Palestinian Authority for the successful disengagement and noted, as well, the efforts of 

James D. Wolfensohn, former President of the World 

Bank Group, relating to the economic future of the Gaza 

Strip; 

Whereas James D. Wolfensohn has secured pledges of $14 

million from private donors, under the auspices of the 

Aspen Institute, to preserve commercial greenhouses in 

the Gaza Strip, compensate their Israeli owners, arrange 

for continued employment of an estimated 3,500 Palestinians, and ensure a continuing source of export revenue for the Gaza Strip; 

Whereas a meeting, hosted by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip 

Erdogan of Turkey, took place on September 1, 2005, between the Foreign Ministers of Israel and Pakistan, 
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•HRES 448 IH 

Silvan Shalom and Khursheed Kasuri, a historic first 

meeting between representatives of the two countries; 

Whereas Pakistani Foreign Minister Kasuri attributed the 

meeting to the importance that Pakistan attaches to 

Israel’s disengagement from the Gaza Strip; and 

Whereas the Kingdom of Jordan has worked over many years 

to bring peace to the Middle East: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the suffering of both Israelis and 

3 Palestinians and acknowledges the sacrifices made in 

4 the interest of peace by the Israeli settlers who left 

5 the Gaza Strip voluntarily; 

6 (2) honors the courage and vision of Israeli 

7 Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in taking this momen8 tous step; 

9 (3) honors the courage of Palestinian Authority 

10 President Mahmoud Abbas in his efforts to secure 

11 statehood for his people by serving as a ‘‘partner for 

12 peace’’; 

13 (4) honors the courage of Egyptian President 

14 Hosni Mubarak in assuming responsibilities beyond 

15 those agreed upon in Egypt’s bilateral peace agree16 ment with Israel; 

17 (5) honors the courage of Turkish Prime Min18 ister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his statesmanship in 

19 promoting peace and respect among peoples; 
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•HRES 448 IH 

1 (6) honors the courage of Pakistani President 

2 Pervez Musharaf for urging a just reconciliation to 

3 the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, two 

4 states living side by side in peace; 

5 (7) honors the courage of King Abdullah of 

6 Jordan in following the commitment made by his fa7 ther, King Hussein, to peace with Israel; 

8 (8) commends the efforts of James D. 

9 Wolfensohn, former President of the World Bank 

10 Group, and private donors to secure a viable econ11 omy for the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip; 

12 (9) urges international lenders to invest in the 

13 West Bank and the Gaza Strip to provide immediate 

14 opportunities for employment and training; 

15 (10) urges the President of the United States 

16 and the Secretary of State to support the ongoing 

17 cooperation of Israelis and Palestinians with respect 

18 to the Gaza Strip and to encourage resumption of 

19 peace negotiations; and 

20 (11) urges all peace-loving nations to advocate 

21 and support the ‘‘two-state’’ solution. 

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