IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 238 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding United States 

efforts to promote Israeli–Palestinian peace. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 23, 2013 

Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. GRIJALVA, 

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, and Mr. CONYERS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding United States efforts to promote Israeli–Palestinian 

peace. 

Whereas United States support for a two-state solution to the 

Israeli–Palestinian conflict is based on the recognition 

that this solution can both best serve Israel’s security 

and permanence as a Jewish homeland while helping the 

Palestinian people achieve a future of independence and 

national self-determination; 

Whereas a true and lasting two-state solution is essential to 

the resolution of Israeli–Arab disputes and to the 

achievement of long-term peace and stability in the 

broader Middle East; 


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•HRES 238 IH 

Whereas a true and lasting two-state solution is in the national security interests of the United States and to ensure the safety and security of Israel; 

Whereas a true and lasting two-state solution will only be established through resolution of outstanding issues between Israel and the recognized leadership of the Palestinian people; 

Whereas successive United States Presidents and successive 

United States Congresses have recognized that promoting 

Israeli–Palestinian and Israeli–Arab peace is an integral 

element of the United States commitment to Israel’s security and its survival, as well as to the stability of the 

entire Middle East region; 

Whereas successive United States administrations, led by 

Presidents from both parties, have invested substantial 

diplomatic resources in support of peace efforts, including 

under— 

(1) President Ronald Reagan, the 1982 Reagan 

Plan for Middle East Peace; 

(2) President George H.W. Bush, the 1991 Madrid 

Peace Conference; 

(3) President Bill Clinton, the 1993 Oslo Accords, 

the 1995 Wye River Memorandum, the 2000 Camp 

David Summit, and the 2000 Clinton Parameters; 

(4) President George W. Bush, the 2001 ‘‘Sharm 

El-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee Report’’, also known 

as the Mitchell Report, the 2003 ‘‘Roadmap for Peace in 

the Middle East’’, the 2005 Agreement on Movement and 

Access, and the 2007 Annapolis Conference; and 

(5) under President Barack Obama, the 2009 appointment of Senator George Mitchell as the United 


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•HRES 238 IH 

States Special Envoy for Middle East peace, and the efforts since then to restart Israeli–Palestinian peace talks; 

Whereas Hamas does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, 

continues to launch rocket and missile attacks against 

Israel, has not disavowed violence, and does not recognize 

or abide by existing binding agreements; 

Whereas the State of Israel is subject to existential threats 

from those seeking to deny the deep historical, cultural, 

and spiritual connection of the Jewish people to their 

homeland; 

Whereas on March 21, 2013, while speaking in both 

Ramallah and Jerusalem, President Obama stated that 

the Palestinian people deserve ‘‘an end to occupation and 

the daily indignities that come with it.’’; 

Whereas President Obama added, ‘‘It is not right to prevent 

Palestinians from farming their lands; to restrict a student’s ability to move around the West Bank; or to displace Palestinian families from their home. Neither occupation nor expulsion is the answer. Just as Israelis built 

a state in their homeland, Palestinians have a right to be 

a free people in their own land.’’; 

Whereas successive United States administrations have opposed Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, recognizing them to be a political and security liability for 

Israel and an impediment to efforts to achieve a negotiated resolution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, 

among other reasons; and 

Whereas the United States goal of helping to secure Israel’s 

security and safety as a democratic homeland for the 

Jewish people well into the future is best served through 


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achievement of an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians to resolve their conflict: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) reaffirms its commitment to supporting 

3 United States actions that promote peace between 

4 Israel and the Palestinians and are designed to en5 sure the safety and security of Israel and its people; 

6 (2) reaffirms its support for previous agree7 ments reached between Israel and the Palestinians 

8 and adopted by third parties that recognize Israel’s 

9 right to exist and promote a Palestinian state to 

10 meet the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian 

11 people for self-determination within their own na12 tion; 

13 (3) commends the Obama administration and 

14 its predecessors for their resolute commitment to 

15 Israel’s survival and security and for their efforts to 

16 demonstrate this commitment through the promotion 

17 of Israeli–Palestinian negotiations to achieve a reso18 lution of their conflict and the establishment of a 

19 long-term peace in the region; 

20 (4) calls on Hamas to recognize Israel’s right to 

21 exist, denounce violence, abide by existing agree22 ments, and to prevent rocket and missile attacks 

23 against Israel; 


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•HRES 238 IH 

1 (5) calls upon states, international organiza2 tions, and individuals to oppose efforts to deny the 

3 deep historical, cultural, and spiritual connection of 

4 the Jewish people to Israel; 

5 (6) calls upon Arab and Muslim-majority states 

6 to build upon efforts such as the Arab Peace Initia7 tive, combat anti-Israel extremism, and otherwise 

8 work towards full normalization of state-to-state re9 lations with the State of Israel; 

10 (7) calls on the Israeli Government to cease 

11 support for and to prevent further settlement expan12 sion in the Occupied Territories; 

13 (8) commends the Obama administration for 

14 supporting Israel’s Iron Dome Missile Defense Sys15 tem to help intercept rocket attacks and prevent 

16 them from devastating civilian populations in Israel; 

17 (9) calls on Israel and Hamas to uphold the ex18 isting ceasefire agreement and exercise strong cau19 tion so as to avoid an escalation that would only lead 

20 to further violence, destruction, and loss of life; 

21 (10) applauds President Obama’s recent efforts 

22 at the beginning of his second term to initiate a 

23 new, diplomatic effort with the mandate for negotia24 tions to achieve a peace agreement between Israel 


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1 and the Palestinian people and urges continued ro2 bust efforts towards a peaceful resolution; and 

3 (11) calls on President Obama to establish an 

4 achievable timeline for negotiations backed by a 

5 strong international coalition of stakeholders includ6 ing ‘‘The Quartet’’ to provide assurance to the nego7 tiating parties that their agreement will be enduring 

8 and enforceable. 

Æ 


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