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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 177 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 177

Urging the Palestinian Authority and President Mahmoud Abbas to clarify 
 a presidential succession plan, expand political freedom in the West 
  Bank, and take preventative measures to limit the possibility of a 
                    Hamas takeover in the West Bank.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 23, 2013

   Mr. Roskam (for himself and Mr. Lipinski) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Urging the Palestinian Authority and President Mahmoud Abbas to clarify 
 a presidential succession plan, expand political freedom in the West 
  Bank, and take preventative measures to limit the possibility of a 
                    Hamas takeover in the West Bank.

Whereas a democratic and strong Palestinian Authority is a key strategic 
        component of United States foreign policy in the Middle East;
Whereas the Palestinian Authority represents the only viable partner for peace 
        between Israelis and Palestinians;
Whereas Palestinian Authority security forces are critical to maintaining 
        relative stability in the West Bank;
Whereas Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' presidential term expired 
        on January 15, 2009, and no new presidential election has taken place 
        since 2005;
Whereas President Abbas does not have a responsible heir to succeed him in the 
        event of his death;
Whereas President Abbas is 78 years old, a prostate cancer survivor, and a 
        frequent traveler who was hospitalized 6 times in 2010;
Whereas Salam Fayyad resigned as Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority on 
        April 13, 2013;
Whereas Palestinian Basic Law, article 37 states that, in the event of the 
        President's death, ``the Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council 
        shall temporarily assume the powers and duties of the Presidency of the 
        National Authority for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days, during 
        which free and direct elections to elect a new President shall take 
        place in accordance with Palestinian Election Law'';
Whereas the current speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council is Aziz 
        Dweik, a Hamas member;
Whereas Aziz Dweik was expelled from Israel in 1992 for his involvement with 
        Hamas and was subsequently arrested in 2006 and 2012 for his involvement 
        with Hamas and ``terrorist activities'';
Whereas Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, 
        European Union, Israel, Canada, and Japan;
Whereas a Hamas-controlled Palestinian Authority would prevent any possibility 
        of a two-state solution between the parties;
Whereas President Barack Obama has stated that ``No country can be expected to 
        negotiate with a terrorist organization sworn to its destruction. And we 
        will continue to demand that Hamas accept the basic responsibilities of 
        peace, including Israel's right to exist and rejecting violence and 
        adhering to all existing agreements.'';
Whereas the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012, prohibits United States 
        financial ``assistance to Hamas or any entity effectively controlled by 
        Hamas, any power-sharing government of which Hamas is a member, or that 
        results from an agreement with Hamas and over which Hamas exercises 
        undue influence.'';
Whereas a Hamas takeover of the Palestinian Authority would trigger the 
        suspension of United States foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority;
Whereas the United States on average provides over $400,000,000 in annual aid to 
        the Palestinian Authority, which is used to train security forces in the 
        West Bank, develop infrastructure, provide humanitarian assistance, and 
        keep the Palestinian economy afloat;
Whereas these funds serve to promote democracy and human rights, economic 
        development, education, health care, water and infrastructure, and 
        prevent economic and political crises in the West Bank;
Whereas these funds assist in laying the groundwork for a future, self-
        sustaining, and viable Palestinian state next to a State of Israel with 
        secure and defensible borders; and
Whereas the United States has a direct strategic interest in maintaining a 
        legitimate political partner in control of the Palestinian Authority: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) urges President Abbas to preempt a succession crisis in 
        the Palestinian Authority by addressing the current succession 
        plan, and by identifying figures committed to the peace process 
        with Israel;
            (2) urges the Palestinian Authority and President Abbas to 
        enact reforms to open the political process through fair and 
        responsible elections, ensuring the freedom of speech, the 
        press, and political assembly and allowing a new generation of 
        leadership to freely express their views; and
            (3) urges the Palestinian Authority to ensure that 
        officials participating in any present or future Palestinian 
        Government are committed to the quartet principles, the 
        recognition of Israel, renunciation of violence, and adherence 
        to previous diplomatic agreements.
                                 <all>
```