III 

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-PalVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:50 Sep 29, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SC54.IS SC54

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•SCON 54 IS 

estinian 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 


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•SCON 54 IS 

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 

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 

2 concurring), that it is the sense of Congress that— 

3 (1) a durable and sustainable peace agreement 

4 between Israel and the Palestinians will come only 

5 through direct bilateral negotiations between the 

6 parties; 

7 (2) any widespread international recognition of 

8 a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood out9 side of the context of a peace agreement with Israel 

10 would cause severe harm to the peace process, and 

11 would likely trigger the implementation of penalties 

12 under sections 7036 and 7041(j) of the Department 

13 of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 

14 Appropriations Act, 2016 (division K of Public Law 

15 114–113; 129 Stat. 2769, 2779); 


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•SCON 54 IS 

1 (3) efforts by outside bodies, including the 

2 United Nations Security Council, to impose an 

3 agreement or parameters for an agreement are likely 

4 to set back the cause of peace; 

5 (4) the United States Government should con6 tinue to oppose and veto United Nations Security 

7 Council resolutions that seek to impose solutions to 

8 final status issues, or are one-sided and anti-Israel; 

9 and 

10 (5) the United States Government should con11 tinue to support and facilitate the resumption of ne12 gotiations without pre-conditions between Israelis 

13 and Palestinians toward a sustainable peace agree14 ment. 

Æ 


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