IV
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 345
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the President should reassert
the traditional opposition of the United States to the unilateral declara-
tion of a Palestinian State.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 8, 1998
Mr. SAXTON (for himself, Mr. SALMON, and Mr. DELAY) submitted the fol-
lowing concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the President
should reassert the traditional opposition of the United
States to the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian
State.
Whereas the United States has never endorsed the creation
of an independent Palestinian State;
Whereas the United States has traditionally opposed the uni-
lateral declaration of a Palestinian State because of con-
cerns that such a State could pose a threat to Israel and
could have a destabilizing effect on the entire Middle
East;
Whereas the United States stated its position, after Israel
and the Palestinians signed the Oslo Accords, that all
•HCON 345 IH
questions of Palestinian sovereignty and statehood are
matters which must be mutually agreed upon by the par-
ties;
Whereas the administration’s recent statements on a unilat-
eral declaration of a Palestinian State have been con-
tradictory and confusing;
Whereas a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood
would be a grievous violation of the Oslo Accords;
Whereas despite the Oslo Accords, Chairman Arafat, his Cab-
inet, and the Palestinian National Council have threat-
ened to unilaterally proclaim the establishment of a Pal-
estinian State in May 1999;
Whereas the Palestinian Cabinet on September 24, 1998,
stated: ‘‘at the end of the interim period, it (the Palestin-
ian Government) shall declare the establishment of a Pal-
estinian State on all Palestinian land occupied since
1967, with Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Pal-
estinian State’’;
Whereas Chairman Arafat, speaking to the United Nations
on September 28, 1998, called upon world leaders to sup-
port an independent Palestinian State;
Whereas Chairman Arafat stated on July 15, 1998: ‘‘There
is a transition period of 5 years and after 5 years we
have the right to declare an independent Palestinian
State’’; and
Whereas Palestinian National Council Speaker Salim al-
Za’nun stated on June 15, 1998: ‘‘If following our dec-
laration of a State, Israel renews its occupation of East
Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, the Pal-
estinian people will struggle and resist the occupier with
•HCON 345 IH
all means possible, including armed struggle’’: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) Israel, and Israel alone, can determine its
security needs;
(2) the final political status of the Palestinian
entity can only be determined through bilateral ne-
gotiations and agreement between Israel and the
Palestinian Authority;
(3) the President must reaffirm that any such
unilateral declaration of a Palestinian State would
be a grievous violation of the Oslo Accords, would
seriously impede any possibility of advancing the
peace process, and would have severe negative con-
sequences for Palestinian relations with the United
States; and
(4) the President should now publicly and un-
equivocally state that the United States will actively
oppose such a unilateral declaration and will not ex-
tend recognition to any unilaterally declared Pal-
estinian State.
Æ