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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 54 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 54

 Expressing the sense of Congress and reaffirming longstanding United 
States policy in support of a direct bilaterally negotiated settlement 
 of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and opposition to United Nations 
   Security Council resolutions imposing a solution to the conflict.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 28, 2016

   Mr. Kirk (for himself and Mr. Blumenthal) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
 Expressing the sense of Congress and reaffirming longstanding United 
States policy in support of a direct bilaterally negotiated settlement 
 of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and opposition to United Nations 
   Security Council resolutions imposing a solution to the conflict.

Whereas the United States has long supported a negotiated settlement leading to 
        a sustainable two-state solution with the democratic, Jewish state of 
        Israel and a democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace 
        and security;
Whereas it is the long-standing policy of the United States Government that a 
        peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will only come 
        through direct, bilateral negotiations between the two parties;
Whereas President Barack Obama reiterated this policy at the United Nations 
        General Assembly in 2011, stating, ``Peace is hard work. Peace will not 
        come through statements and resolutions at the United Nations--if it 
        were that easy, it would have been accomplished by now. Ultimately, it 
        is the Israelis and the Palestinians who must live side by side. 
        Ultimately, it is the Israelis and the Palestinians--not us--who must 
        reach agreement on the issues that divide them'';
Whereas the Palestinian Authority has failed to end incitement to hatred and 
        violence through Palestinian Authority-directed institutions against 
        Israel and Israelis and to end payments to prisoners and the families of 
        those who have engaged in terrorism or acts of violence against Israelis 
        or the State of Israel;
Whereas the Palestinian Authority has continued to provide payments to prisoners 
        and the families of those who have engaged in terrorism or acts of 
        violence against Israelis or the State of Israel, including reports of 
        approximately $300,000,000 in 2016;
Whereas efforts to impose a solution or parameters for a solution can make 
        negotiations more difficult and can set back the cause of peace;
Whereas it is long-standing practice of the United States Government to oppose 
        and, if necessary, veto United Nations Security Council resolutions 
        dictating additional binding parameters on the peace process;
Whereas it is also the historic position of the United States Government to 
        oppose and veto, if necessary, one-sided or anti-Israel resolutions at 
        the United Nations Security Council;
Whereas, for this reason, the United States has vetoed 42 Israel-related 
        resolutions in the United Nations Security Council since 1972;
Whereas the Palestinian Authority must engage in broad, meaningful, and systemic 
        reforms in order to ultimately prepare its institutions and people for 
        statehood and peaceful coexistence with Israel; and
Whereas unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state would bypass negotiations 
        and undermine incentives for the Palestinian Authority to make the 
        changes necessary that are pre-requisites for peace: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
that it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) a durable and sustainable peace agreement between 
        Israel and the Palestinians will come only through direct 
        bilateral negotiations between the parties;
            (2) any widespread international recognition of a 
        unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood outside of the 
        context of a peace agreement with Israel would cause severe 
        harm to the peace process, and would likely trigger the 
        implementation of penalties under sections 7036 and 7041(j) of 
        the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related 
        Programs Appropriations Act, 2016 (division K of Public Law 
        114-113; 129 Stat. 2769, 2779);
            (3) efforts by outside bodies, including the United Nations 
        Security Council, to impose an agreement or parameters for an 
        agreement are likely to set back the cause of peace;
            (4) the United States Government should continue to oppose 
        and veto United Nations Security Council resolutions that seek 
        to impose solutions to final status issues, or are one-sided 
        and anti-Israel; and
            (5) the United States Government should continue to support 
        and facilitate the resumption of negotiations without pre-
        conditions between Israelis and Palestinians toward a 
        sustainable peace agreement.
                                 <all>
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