H. Res. 294

In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

June 25, 2003.

Whereas Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud

Abbas (Abu Mazen) announced at the June 4, 2003,

Aqaba Summit, ‘‘Our goal is clear, and we will implement

it firmly and without compromise: a complete end to violence and terrorism’’;

Whereas Prime Minister Abbas also pledged at the Aqaba

Summit to establish a system based on ‘‘rule of law, [a]

single political authority, [and] weapons only in the

hands of those who are in charge of upholding the law

and order . . .’’;

Whereas the Middle East roadmap begins with the assertion

that ‘‘A two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will only be achieved through an end to violence and

terrorism (when the Palestinian people have a leadership

acting decisively against terror and willing and able to

build a practicing democracy based on tolerance and liberty)’’;

Whereas 22 innocent Israelis nevertheless were murdered and

scores wounded in three separate suicide bombings within

less than a week after the Aqaba Summit, and the death

toll from these terrorist actions is the equivalent of 1,100

on the basis of the United States population, nearly ten
2

•HRES 294 EH

times the number of battle deaths the United States suffered in the recent Iraq War;

Whereas Palestinians are also victims of these terrorists, who

undermine prospects for a just and lasting peace;

Whereas Islamic fundamentalist Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad consistently make clear their opposition to

Israel’s existence in any form and within any borders and

their determination to use violence and terrorism to

achieve their anti-Israeli, anti-Semitic goals, and Hamas

leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi vowed ‘‘not to leave one Jew

in Palestine’’;

Whereas experience with terrorism demonstrates that there

can be no productive negotiations or dialogue with terrorists and that a policy based on compromise with terrorists can only be doomed to failure;

Whereas the concept of ‘‘cycle of violence’’, which implies

moral equivalence between terrorists and their victims,

should be rejected as a description of Israeli-Palestinian

dynamics, since Palestinian terrorism justifies Israeli

counterterrorist operations as the response of a legitimate

government defending its citizens;

Whereas Israeli counterterrorist operations would cease entirely were Palestinian terrorism to cease; and

Whereas Israel has no choice but to use its own measures to

fight terrorism if the Palestinians are unwilling to do so:

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) condemns in the harshest terms the recent terrorist actions that victimized innocent Israelis;
3

•HRES 294 EH

(2) expresses solidarity with the Israeli people as

they respond to ongoing terrorist attacks;

(3) expresses sympathy to the families of innocent

Israelis and Palestinians who have lost their lives;

(4) commends the President of the United States

for his vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living

side by side in peace and security;

(5) affirms that this vision can be fully realized only

once terrorism is defeated, so that a new state may be

created based on rule of law and respect for human

rights;

(6) recognizes and respects Israel’s right to fight

terrorism and acknowledges Israel’s fight against terrorism as part of the global war against terrorism;

(7) calls on all states to cease recognition of and political and material support for any Palestinian and

other terrorist groups;

(8) calls on all states immediately to establish effective mechanisms to ensure that funding from private

citizens cannot be directed to terrorist groups for any

purpose whatsoever, including ostensible humanitarian

purposes;

(9) calls on all states to provide support to the Palestinian Authority in its effort to confront and fight terror; and
4

•HRES 294 EH

(10) calls on all states to assist the Palestinian people in creating the institutions of a democratic state that

will respect the rule of law and live in peace with its

neighbors.

Attest:

Clerk.