IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 331 

Expressing the policy of the United States with respect to a two-state solution 

between the State of Israel and the Palestinian people. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 17, 2017 

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona submitted the following resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the policy of the United States with respect to 

a two-state solution between the State of Israel and 

the Palestinian people. 

Whereas Jewish authorities supported the United Nations 

Partition Plan of 1947 that called for both a Jewish and 

an Arab state as successor authorities to the prior 

League of Nations British mandate in Palestine; 

Whereas both Jewish and Arab forces implied a de facto acceptance of the other’s existence in cease-fires and armistices after the 1948, 1967, and 1973 wars; 

Whereas Arab-Israel peace talks after 1967 have comported 

with the ‘‘land for peace’’ ideas of United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 (1967); 


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•HRES 331 IH 

Whereas the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt 

in 1978 foresaw a transitional arrangement for self-governance in the West Bank and Gaza pending negotiations 

between Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Palestinian representatives on the territories’ final status; 

Whereas in 1988, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) 

Chairman Yasser Arafat made statements appearing to 

contemplate the establishment of a Palestinian state 

alongside Israel; 

Whereas the 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles, or 

Oslo Accords, anticipated a transitional Palestinian limited self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza pending finalstatus negotiations, and following this declaration the 

PLO expressed its recognition of Israel’s right to exist; 

Whereas in January 2001, President Clinton said ‘‘I think 

there can be no genuine resolution to the conflict without 

a sovereign, viable, Palestinian state that accommodates 

Israelis’ security requirements and the demographic realities.’’; 

Whereas in 2002, President George W. Bush said ‘‘My vision 

is two states, living side by side in peace and security.’’; 

Whereas in 2009, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that 

if Israel received an acceptable ‘‘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 a poll taken in December 2016 and released in February 2017 indicated 54.7 percent of Israelis, 49.9 perVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:13 May 18, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR331.IH HR331

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•HRES 331 IH 

cent of Israeli Jews, and 44.3 percent of Palestinians 

support a two-state solution; 

Whereas on July 30, 2012, Fatah official Nabil Shaath stated that the Palestinian Authority government to be headed by Mahmoud Abbas ‘‘need not recognize Israel’’; 

Whereas on November 26, 2014, Mahmoud Abbas stated that 

Palestine ‘‘will never recognize the Jewishness of the 

state of Israel’’; 

Whereas on February 13, 2017, Hamas elected Yehiya 

Sinwar, a known criminal who is on record as stating 

that Israel has no right to exist; 

Whereas in their joint press conference on February 15, 

2017, President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu 

expressed that the ‘‘recognition of the Jewish state and 

Israel’s security needs’’ is a key prerequisite to peace; 

and 

Whereas stonewalling on the Palestinian side is perceived by 

President Trump and others as unproductive such that 

President Trump on February 15, 2017, said ‘‘I’m looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that 

both parties like. I’m very happy with the one that both 

parties like. I can live with either one.’’: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the policy of the United States— 

2 (1) to oppose a two-state solution between the 

3 State of Israel and the Palestinian people if either 

4 party refuses to recognize the other party’s right to 

5 exist; and 


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•HRES 331 IH 

1 (2) if current Palestine Liberation Organization 

2 (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA) officials seek 

3 the support of the United States in peace efforts, to 

4 require such officials— 

5 (A) to fully recognize the 1993 Israel-PLO 

6 Declaration of Principles, or Oslo Accords, as 

7 legitimate and as the basis for the peace nego8 tiations; and 

9 (B) to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist 

10 and Israel’s historical land claims. 

Æ 


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