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 vio-
lence 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 con-
flict 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 lib-
erty)’’;
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
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times the number of battle deaths the United States suf-
fered 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 Is-
lamic 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 terror-
ists and that a policy based on compromise with terror-
ists 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 en-
tirely 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 ter-
rorist actions that victimized innocent Israelis;
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(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 ter-
rorism as part of the global war against terrorism;
(7) calls on all states to cease recognition of and po-
litical and material support for any Palestinian and
other terrorist groups;
(8) calls on all states immediately to establish effec-
tive 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 Pal-
estinian Authority in its effort to confront and fight ter-
ror; and
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(10) calls on all states to assist the Palestinian peo-
ple in creating the institutions of a democratic state that
will respect the rule of law and live in peace with its
neighbors.
Attest:
Clerk.