IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1731 

Reaffirming Congressional opposition to the declaration of a Palestinian state, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2010 

Mr. POE of Texas (for himself, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. WEINER, and Ms. ROSLEHTINEN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Reaffirming Congressional opposition to the declaration of 

a Palestinian state, and for other purposes. 

Whereas a true and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians can only be achieved through direct negotiations 

between the parties; 

Whereas the leadership of the Palestinian Authority (PA) 

and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) have 

repeatedly refused to negotiate directly with the Government of Israel, demanding unprecedented preconditions 

from Israel in exchange for their return to direct negotiations; 

Whereas Palestinian leaders have repeatedly threatened to 

unilaterally declare a Palestinian state and to seek recVerDate Mar 15 2010 04:34 Nov 19, 2010 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1731.IH HR1731

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HRES 1731 IH 

ognition of a Palestinian state by the United Nations and 

other international forums; 

Whereas Palestinian leaders are reportedly holding high-level 

discussions on pursuing recognition of a Palestinian state 

by the United Nations and other international forums; 

Whereas UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace 

Process Robert Serry on October 26, 2010, expressed his 

support for recognition of a Palestinian state by the 

United Nations; 

Whereas, on March 11, 1999, the Senate adopted Senate 

Concurrent Resolution 5, and on March 16, 1999, the 

House of Representatives adopted House Concurrent 

Resolution 24, both of which resolved that ‘‘any attempt 

to establish Palestinian statehood outside the negotiating 

process will invoke the strongest congressional opposition.’’; 

Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stated 

on October 20, 2010, that ‘‘There is no substitute for 

face-to-face discussion and, ultimately, for an agreement 

that leads to a just and lasting peace.’’; 

Whereas Secretary Clinton stated on November 10, 2010, 

that ‘‘Negotiations between the parties is the only means 

by which all the outstanding claims arising out of the 

[Israeli-Palestinian] conflict can be resolved . . . So we 

do not support unilateral steps by either party that could 

prejudge the outcome of such negotiations.’’; 

Whereas, on November 10, 2010, the Israeli Knesset adopted 

a resolution ‘‘reject[ing] entirely the threats of some Palestinian leaders to declare unilateral Palestinian statehood . . . [affirming] that all points of dispute must be 

debated only within the framework of direct negotiations 


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HRES 1731 IH 

. . . [and] call[ing] on the Palestinian leadership to return to the negotiating table.’’; 

Whereas Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, in a 

speech at Bar Ilan University in Israel on June 14, 2009, 

stated that ‘‘[A] fundamental prerequisite for ending the 

conflict is a public, binding and unequivocal Palestinian 

recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish 

people . . . Therefore, today we ask our friends in the 

international community, led by the United States, for 

what is critical to the security of Israel: Clear commitments that in a future peace agreement, the territory 

controlled by the Palestinians will be demilitarized . . . 

If we receive this guarantee regarding demilitarization 

and Israel’s security needs, and if the Palestinians recognize Israel as the State of the Jewish people, then we will 

be ready in a future peace agreement to reach a solution 

where a demilitarized Palestinian state exists alongside 

the Jewish state.’’; 

Whereas efforts to bypass negotiations and to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state or to appeal to the United Nations or other international forums for recognition of a 

Palestinian state would clearly and fundamentally violate 

the underlying principles of the 1993 Oslo Accords and 

the Middle East peace process, and represent another instance of the Palestinian leadership’s noncompliance with 

its commitments under existing agreements; and 

Whereas United States opposition to any unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood or related measures 

should be reaffirmed strongly and unequivocally: Now, 

therefore, be it 


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HRES 1731 IH 

1 Resolved, by the House of Representatives that Con2 gress— 

3 (1) reaffirms its strong opposition to any at4 tempt to establish a Palestinian state outside the ne5 gotiating process; 

6 (2) strongly and unequivocally opposes any at7 tempt to seek recognition of a Palestinian state by 

8 the United Nations or other international forums; 

9 (3) calls upon the Administration to continue 

10 its opposition to the unilateral declaration of a Pal11 estinian state; 

12 (4) calls upon the Administration to affirm that 

13 the United States would deny any recognition, legit14 imacy, or support of any kind to any unilaterally de15 clared ‘‘Palestinian state’’ and would urge other re16 sponsible nations to follow suit, and to make clear 

17 that any such unilateral declaration would constitute 

18 a grievous violation of the principles underlying the 

19 Oslo Accords and the Middle East peace process; 

20 (5) calls upon the Administration to affirm that 

21 the United States will oppose any attempt to seek 

22 recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Na23 tions or other international forums and will veto any 

24 resolution to that end by the United Nations Secu25 rity Council; 


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HRES 1731 IH 

1 (6) calls upon the President and the Secretary 

2 of State to lead a high-level diplomatic effort to en3 courage the European Union and other responsible 

4 nations to strongly and unequivocally oppose the 

5 unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state or any 

6 attempt to seek recognition of a Palestinian state by 

7 the United Nations or other international forums; 

8 and 

9 (7) supports the resolution of the Israeli-Pales10 tinian conflict and the achievement of a true and 

11 lasting peace through direct negotiations between 

12 the parties. 

Æ 


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