IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 109 

Deploring the actions of the Palestinian Authority to join the International 

Criminal Court and undertake legal action through the Court against Israel. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 7, 2017 

Mrs. WALORSKI submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Deploring the actions of the Palestinian Authority to join 

the International Criminal Court and undertake legal 

action through the Court against Israel. 

Whereas the House of Representatives supports the longstanding position of the United States Government to insist on the resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict 

through direct negotiations between the two parties; 

Whereas the House of Representatives has long appropriated 

United States taxpayer funds to facilitate a negotiated 

solution between the two parties; 

Whereas the House of Representatives believes the current 

policy of the Palestinian Authority to seek legitimacy for 

unilateral statehood through international institutions is 

toxic to the prospects of a negotiated solution with Israel; 


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•HRES 109 IH 

Whereas the term ‘‘lawfare’’ means the abuse of law to 

achieve political and military means and has as its goals 

the delegitimization of the sovereignty of democratic 

states and the obstruction of democracies to fight against 

and defeat terrorism; 

Whereas the House of Representatives believes that the current policy of the Palestinian Authority to consider and 

potentially seek legal action against Israel through the 

International Criminal Court is a politically motivated action designed to put political pressure on Israel outside 

the context of direct negotiations, weaken Israel’s sovereignty, and hinder Israel’s ability to fight against and 

defeat terrorism, the House of Representatives believes 

the Palestinian Authority policy constitutes an act of 

lawfare; 

Whereas the use of lawfare is a national security danger to 

all democracies, including the United States and its 

democratic allies, who engage their militaries to defend 

their sovereignty and fight against and defeat terrorism, 

the House of Representatives views the current policy of 

the Palestinian Authority to use lawfare against Israel as 

a dangerous precedent that threatens the national security of the United States and its democratic allies; and 

Whereas the United States Congress passed the American 

Service Members Protection Act, which became law on 

August 2, 2002, that protects United States citizens and 

allied persons by protecting them from the jurisdiction, 

investigation, arrest, detainment, prosecution or imprisonment by or on behalf of the International Criminal 

Court with respect to actions undertaken by them in an 

official capacity: Now, therefore, be it 


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•HRES 109 IH 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives views 

2 lawfare as a threat to United States military activities 

3 abroad and those of the United States democratic allies, 

4 and believes it is vital to take a stand against its use in 

5 order to protect the Nation’s best interests. 

Æ 


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