IV 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 238 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding United States 
efforts to promote Israeli–Palestinian peace. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 23, 2013 
Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. GRIJALVA, 
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, and Mr. CONYERS) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regard-
ing United States efforts to promote Israeli–Palestinian 
peace. 
Whereas United States support for a two-state solution to the 
Israeli–Palestinian conflict is based on the recognition 
that this solution can both best serve Israel’s security 
and permanence as a Jewish homeland while helping the 
Palestinian people achieve a future of independence and 
national self-determination; 
Whereas a true and lasting two-state solution is essential to 
the resolution of Israeli–Arab disputes and to the 
achievement of long-term peace and stability in the 
broader Middle East; 
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•HRES 238 IH 
Whereas a true and lasting two-state solution is in the na-
tional security interests of the United States and to en-
sure the safety and security of Israel; 
Whereas a true and lasting two-state solution will only be es-
tablished through resolution of outstanding issues be-
tween Israel and the recognized leadership of the Pales-
tinian people; 
Whereas successive United States Presidents and successive 
United States Congresses have recognized that promoting 
Israeli–Palestinian and Israeli–Arab peace is an integral 
element of the United States commitment to Israel’s se-
curity and its survival, as well as to the stability of the 
entire Middle East region; 
Whereas successive United States administrations, led by 
Presidents from both parties, have invested substantial 
diplomatic resources in support of peace efforts, including 
under— 
(1) President Ronald Reagan, the 1982 Reagan 
Plan for Middle East Peace; 
(2) President George H.W. Bush, the 1991 Madrid 
Peace Conference; 
(3) President Bill Clinton, the 1993 Oslo Accords, 
the 1995 Wye River Memorandum, the 2000 Camp 
David Summit, and the 2000 Clinton Parameters; 
(4) President George W. Bush, the 2001 ‘‘Sharm 
El-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee Report’’, also known 
as the Mitchell Report, the 2003 ‘‘Roadmap for Peace in 
the Middle East’’, the 2005 Agreement on Movement and 
Access, and the 2007 Annapolis Conference; and 
(5) under President Barack Obama, the 2009 ap-
pointment of Senator George Mitchell as the United 
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•HRES 238 IH 
States Special Envoy for Middle East peace, and the ef-
forts since then to restart Israeli–Palestinian peace talks; 
Whereas Hamas does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, 
continues to launch rocket and missile attacks against 
Israel, has not disavowed violence, and does not recognize 
or abide by existing binding agreements; 
Whereas the State of Israel is subject to existential threats 
from those seeking to deny the deep historical, cultural, 
and spiritual connection of the Jewish people to their 
homeland; 
Whereas on March 21, 2013, while speaking in both 
Ramallah and Jerusalem, President Obama stated that 
the Palestinian people deserve ‘‘an end to occupation and 
the daily indignities that come with it.’’; 
Whereas President Obama added, ‘‘It is not right to prevent 
Palestinians from farming their lands; to restrict a stu-
dent’s ability to move around the West Bank; or to dis-
place Palestinian families from their home. Neither occu-
pation nor expulsion is the answer. Just as Israelis built 
a state in their homeland, Palestinians have a right to be 
a free people in their own land.’’; 
Whereas successive United States administrations have op-
posed Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, rec-
ognizing them to be a political and security liability for 
Israel and an impediment to efforts to achieve a nego-
tiated resolution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, 
among other reasons; and 
Whereas the United States goal of helping to secure Israel’s 
security and safety as a democratic homeland for the 
Jewish people well into the future is best served through 
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•HRES 238 IH 
achievement of an agreement between Israel and the Pal-
estinians to resolve their conflict: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) reaffirms its commitment to supporting 
United States actions that promote peace between 
Israel and the Palestinians and are designed to en-
sure the safety and security of Israel and its people; 
(2) reaffirms its support for previous agree-
ments reached between Israel and the Palestinians 
and adopted by third parties that recognize Israel’s 
right to exist and promote a Palestinian state to 
meet the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian 
people for self-determination within their own na-
tion; 
(3) commends the Obama administration and 
its predecessors for their resolute commitment to 
Israel’s survival and security and for their efforts to 
demonstrate this commitment through the promotion 
of Israeli–Palestinian negotiations to achieve a reso-
lution of their conflict and the establishment of a 
long-term peace in the region; 
(4) calls on Hamas to recognize Israel’s right to 
exist, denounce violence, abide by existing agree-
ments, and to prevent rocket and missile attacks 
against Israel; 
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•HRES 238 IH 
(5) calls upon states, international organiza-
tions, and individuals to oppose efforts to deny the 
deep historical, cultural, and spiritual connection of 
the Jewish people to Israel; 
(6) calls upon Arab and Muslim-majority states 
to build upon efforts such as the Arab Peace Initia-
tive, combat anti-Israel extremism, and otherwise 
work towards full normalization of state-to-state re-
lations with the State of Israel; 
(7) calls on the Israeli Government to cease 
support for and to prevent further settlement expan-
sion in the Occupied Territories; 
(8) commends the Obama administration for 
supporting Israel’s Iron Dome Missile Defense Sys-
tem to help intercept rocket attacks and prevent 
them from devastating civilian populations in Israel; 
(9) calls on Israel and Hamas to uphold the ex-
isting ceasefire agreement and exercise strong cau-
tion so as to avoid an escalation that would only lead 
to further violence, destruction, and loss of life; 
(10) applauds President Obama’s recent efforts 
at the beginning of his second term to initiate a 
new, diplomatic effort with the mandate for negotia-
tions to achieve a peace agreement between Israel 
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•HRES 238 IH 
and the Palestinian people and urges continued ro-
bust efforts towards a peaceful resolution; and 
(11) calls on President Obama to establish an 
achievable timeline for negotiations backed by a 
strong international coalition of stakeholders includ-
ing ‘‘The Quartet’’ to provide assurance to the nego-
tiating parties that their agreement will be enduring 
and enforceable. 
Æ 
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