IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 282 

Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the peace treaty between Egypt and 

Israel. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 24, 2009 

Mr. FORTENBERRY (for himself and Mr. ELLISON) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the peace treaty between 

Egypt and Israel. 

Whereas the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel signed in 

Washington, DC, on March 26, 1979, set an unprecedented example of reconciliation following decades 

marked by periods of heightened confrontation and tension, including the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the Suez Crisis of 1956, the War of Attrition along the Suez Canal, 

and the Arab-Israeli War of 1973; 

Whereas United States diplomatic efforts and initiatives in 

the aftermath of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War helped build 

the foundations of a lasting peace between Egypt and 

Israel; 

Whereas pursuant to an invitation by Israeli Prime Minister 

Menachem Begin, President Anwar al-Sadat became the 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
2 

•HRES 282 IH 

first Arab leader to visit and recognize Israel on November 20, 1977, when he delivered a historic address before 

Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, calling for Egypt and 

Israel to ‘‘. . . stand together with the . . . boldness of 

heroes who dedicate themselves to a sublime aim . . . to 

erect a huge edifice of peace . . . an edifice that . . . 

serves as a beacon for generations to come’’; 

Whereas Prime Minister Menachem Begin and President 

Sadat demonstrated remarkable character and courage in 

their willingness to move beyond decades of hostility, bitterness, and mistrust to launch an unprecedented rapprochement without any guarantee as to the potential 

outcome of their mutual determination to engage in 

United States-mediated peace talks; 

Whereas successive administrations worked diligently to facilitate intensive discussions in the hope of achieving a 

historic diplomatic breakthrough on Middle East peace, 

and President Jimmy Carter invited the two leaders to 

Camp David for intensive discussions from September 5– 

17, 1978; 

Whereas, on September 17, 1978, the United States witnessed the signing of two framework agreements between 

the Governments of Egypt and Israel, ‘‘A Framework for 

Peace in the Middle East’’ and ‘‘A Framework for the 

Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel’’; 

Whereas, on March 26, 1979, President Sadat and Prime 

Minister Begin signed the first treaty between an Arab 

nation and Israel; 

Whereas the primary features of the peace treaty included 

the mutual recognition of Egypt and Israel by each other, 

the end of the state of war between the two nations datVerDate Nov 24 2008 01:57 Mar 25, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR282.IH HR282

wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
3 

•HRES 282 IH 

ing back to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the complete 

withdrawal by Israel of its armed forces and civilians 

from the Sinai Peninsula, freedom of passage for Israeli 

ships through the Suez Canal, and recognition of the 

Strait of Tiran and the Gulf of Aqaba as international 

waterways; 

Whereas United States leadership played a decisive role in 

enabling Egypt and Israel to set aside longstanding animosities; 

Whereas the conclusion of the treaty between Egypt and 

Israel set a courageous example of statesmanship in the 

face of widespread opposition; 

Whereas as a direct result of the peace treaty, the Arab 

League suspended Egypt from its membership from 1979 

until 1989; 

Whereas, in 1981, President Sadat was assassinated in Cairo 

by Egyptian soldiers who belonged to the Gama‘ah 

Islamiyah (Islamic Group) and Egyptian Islamic Jihad; 

Whereas, on October 26, 1994, Israeli Prime Minister 

Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan followed in 

the path set by President Sadat and Prime Minister 

Begin, signing the Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace; 

Whereas the legacy of the treaty was poignantly echoed at 

the memorial service of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak 

Rabin, who was assassinated on November 4, 1995; 

Whereas, despite the existence of tensions and grievances, the 

peace treaty between Egypt and Israel continues to challenge presuppositions about the intransigence of conflict 

in the Middle East and provides an enduring framework 

for facilitating dialogue; and 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
4 

•HRES 282 IH 

Whereas Egypt and Israel continue to collaborate in ongoing 

efforts to address regional difficulties despite the security 

challenges facing both nations: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the 30th anniversary of the peace 

3 treaty between Egypt and Israel, celebrates the trea4 ty’s strength and endurance, and commends the ex5 traordinary diplomatic achievement that the treaty 

6 exemplifies; 

7 (2) recalls the historic sacrifices sustained by 

8 Egypt and Israel in cause of peace and commends 

9 the steadfast determination of both nations to sus10 tain their mutual commitment to peace; 

11 (3) calls for the strengthening of economic, dip12 lomatic, and cultural relations between Egypt and 

13 Israel; 

14 (4) urges the Governments of Egypt and Israel 

15 to strengthen the spirit of cooperation that emerged 

16 in 1979 as the Middle East faces new challenges; 

17 (5) seeks to encourage continued United States 

18 efforts to foster candid, constructive initiatives to re19 solve existing conflicts and mitigate current and 

20 emerging threats to a just and lasting Middle East 

21 peace; and 

22 (6) calls for recognition of the peace treaty be23 tween Egypt and Israel as a model mechanism upon 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
5 

•HRES 282 IH 

1 which partner nations may build to overcome long2 standing barriers to peace and effective mutual co3 operation. 

Æ 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS