I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3629 

To affirm United States recognition of Israel’s sovereignty, security, and 

legal right to its lands, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 2, 2013 

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona (for himself, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. MCINTYRE, and Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To affirm United States recognition of Israel’s sovereignty, 

security, and legal right to its lands, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Israel Sovereignty and 

5 Security Recognition Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) For more than 3,000 years, the Jewish Peo9 ple have maintained a continuous connection and 


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1 presence in the Land of Israel and their eternal and 

2 indivisible capital city of Jerusalem. 

3 (2) In 1920, the legal title of the Jewish People 

4 to their homeland, including the present lands of the 

5 State of Israel, was affirmed and recognized under 

6 modern international law in the San Remo Resolu7 tion, and has not been subsequently abrogated by 

8 any binding legal instrumentality. 

9 (3) In 1922, the aforementioned act of inter10 national law was acknowledged by both chambers of 

11 the United States Congress via a joint resolution 

12 and signed by President Warren G. Harding. 

13 (4) In 1945, Article 80 of the United Nations 

14 charter recognized the continued validity of the 

15 rights granted to states or peoples which already ex16 isted under international instruments, including 

17 those of the Jewish People and their homeland. 

18 (5) On May 14, 1948, the Jewish national 

19 homeland declared its renewed independence and 

20 self-governance as the modern State of Israel, with 

21 the United States being the first country to offer 

22 recognition of Israel’s statehood. 

23 (6) From 1948 to 1967, Syria controlled the 

24 Golan Heights and used it as a military stronghold 


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1 from which its troops routinely attacked Israeli civil2 ians. 

3 (7) In 1967, the Golan Heights was restored to 

4 Israel after Israel was attacked by Syria during the 

5 conflict known as the Six Day War. Since then 

6 Israel has guaranteed the peace and safety of all 

7 who reside there. 

8 (8) The Golan Heights contains more than one9 third of Israel’s water resources, and are vital and 

10 strategically indispensable to the security, well-being, 

11 and continued existence of the State of Israel, allow12 ing Israel to detect and defend from infiltration, at13 tacks, and hostilities that have historically originated 

14 and currently emanate from Syria. 

15 (9) From 1948 to 1967, Jerusalem was a di16 vided city where persons of all faiths were precluded 

17 from freely worshiping or visiting their respective 

18 holy sites in the area controlled by Jordan. 

19 (10) In 1967, the city of Jerusalem was re20 united after Israel was attacked by Jordan during 

21 the conflict known as the Six Day War. Since then 

22 Israel has guaranteed freedom of religion and full 

23 access to holy sites for people of all faiths. 

24 (11) Israel’s government and civil institutions, 

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1 istry of Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister’s and 

2 President’s offices, and the Supreme Court, are all 

3 based in Jerusalem. 

4 (12) In 1990, Congress unanimously adopted 

5 Senate Concurrent Resolution 106, which declares 

6 that Congress ‘‘strongly believes that Jerusalem 

7 must remain an undivided city in which the rights 

8 of every ethnic religious group are protected’’. 

9 (13) In 1995, Congress overwhelmingly ap10 proved the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 (Public 

11 Law 104–45), requiring the establishment of the 

12 United States Embassy in Jerusalem by not later 

13 than May 31, 1999. 

14 (14) The United States Government maintains 

15 its embassy in the functioning capital of every coun16 try except in the State of Israel. 

17 (15) The United States Government owns prop18 erty in Tel Aviv, where its embassy is presently lo19 cated, that was acquired at a cost of $1.00 in 1957. 

20 (16) The United States Government maintains 

21 five Government locations in Jerusalem, totaling 

22 more than 40,000 square feet of building space and 

23 14 acres of land. 

24 (17) The United States Government’s consular 

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1 salem is an ideal location for the United States Em2 bassy to Israel. The Department of State completed 

3 construction of the facility in 2010, and the six-acre 

4 site is under lease for 75 years. 

5 (18) Recognizing Israel’s sovereignty, security, 

6 and legal right to Jerusalem and the Golan Heights 

7 is consistent with the will of the overwhelming ma8 jority of Americans, and in this action the United 

9 States will send a much-needed signal of support for 

10 Israel, its security, and its rights under international 

11 law. 

12 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

13 It is the sense of Congress that— 

14 (1) the United States should recognize Israel’s 

15 sovereignty, security, and legal right to its lands, in16 cluding the Golan Heights and the city of Jerusalem 

17 as the indivisible and eternal capital of the State of 

18 Israel; 

19 (2) transferring the United States Embassy 

20 from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will send a much-needed 

21 signal of United States support for Israel, its secu22 rity, and its rights under international law; and 

23 (3) the Secretary of State should— 


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1 (A) without delay, transfer the United 

2 States Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, to 14 David 

3 Flusser Street, Jerusalem, Israel; and 

4 (B) take such actions as are necessary to 

5 either repurpose or sell at an appropriate mar6 ket rate the United States Embassy in Tel 

7 Aviv, Israel, and, if the Embassy is sold, de8 posit in the Asset Management Account of the 

9 Department of State the proceeds from such 

10 sale. 

11 SEC. 4. AMENDMENT TO THE JERUSALEM EMBASSY ACT OF 

12 1995. 

13 (a) REPEAL.—Subject to subsection (b), section 7 of 

14 the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 (Public Law 104– 

15 45) is repealed. 

16 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The repeal specified in sub17 section (a) shall take effect on the date that is 30 days 

18 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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