IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 518 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding United States 

efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated 

two-state solution. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 24, 2019 

Mr. LOWENTHAL (for himself and Mr. CONNOLLY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding United States efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated two-state solution. 

Whereas the special relationship between the United States 

and Israel is rooted in shared national security interests 

and shared values of democracy, human rights, and the 

rule of law; 

Whereas the United States has worked for decades to 

strengthen Israel’s security through assistance and cooperation on defense and intelligence matters in order to 

enhance the safety of United States and Israeli citizens; 

Whereas the United States remains unwavering in its commitment to help Israel address the myriad challenges it 

faces, including terrorism, regional instability, horrifying 


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•HRES 518 IH 

violence in neighboring states, and hostile regimes that 

call for its destruction; 

Whereas the United States has long sought a just, stable, 

and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 

that recognizes the Palestinian right to self-determination 

and offers Israel long-term security and full normalization with its neighbors; 

Whereas for more than 20 years, Presidents of the United 

States from both political parties and Israeli Prime Ministers have supported reaching a two-state solution that 

establishes a Palestinian state coexisting side by side with 

Israel in peace and security; 

Whereas for more than 20 years, Presidents of the United 

States from both political parties have opposed settlement 

expansion, moves toward unilateral annexation of territory, and efforts to achieve Palestinian statehood status 

outside the framework of negotiations with Israel; 

Whereas United States administrations from both political 

parties have put forward proposals to provide a framework for negotiations toward a two-state solution, including the parameters put forward by President Bill Clinton 

in December 2000, the Road Map proposed by President 

George W. Bush in April 2003, and the principles set 

forth by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State 

John Kerry in December 2016; 

Whereas ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is vital to the 

interests of both parties and the leadership of both parties must negotiate in good faith in order to achieve 

peace; and 

Whereas delays to a political solution to the conflict between 

Israelis and Palestinians pose a threat to the ability to 


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•HRES 518 IH 

maintain a Jewish and democratic state of Israel and the 

establishment of a viable, democratic Palestinian state: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) only the outcome of a two-state solution 

4 that enhances stability and security for Israel, Pal5 estinians, and their neighbors can both ensure the 

6 state of Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic 

7 state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Pal8 estinian people for a state of their own; 

9 (2) while the United States remains indispen10 sable to any viable effort to achieve that goal, only 

11 the Israelis and the Palestinians can make the dif12 ficult choices necessary to end their conflict; 

13 (3) the United States, with the support of re14 gional and international partners, can play a con15 structive role toward ending the Israeli-Palestinian 

16 conflict by putting forward a proposal for achieving 

17 a two-state solution that is consistent with previous 

18 United States proposals to resolve the conflict’s final 

19 status issues in ways that recognize the Palestinian 

20 right to self-determination and enhance Israel’s 

21 long-term security and normalization with its neigh22 bors; and 


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•HRES 518 IH 

1 (4) a United States proposal to achieve a just, 

2 stable, and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian 

3 conflict should expressly endorse a two-state solution 

4 as its objective and discourage steps by either side 

5 that would put a peaceful end to the conflict further 

6 out of reach, including unilateral annexation of terri7 tory or efforts to achieve Palestinian statehood sta8 tus outside the framework of negotiations with 

9 Israel. 

Æ 


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