IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 686 
Expressing support for efforts to enhance Israeli security and create the 
conditions for progress toward a negotiated two-state solution to the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 18, 2016 
Mr. YARMUTH (for himself, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. 
LEE, Mr. COHEN, Mr. WELCH, and Ms. SCHAKOWSKY) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for efforts to enhance Israeli security 
and create the conditions for progress toward a nego-
tiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian con-
flict. 
Whereas the immediate and long-term security of the State 
of Israel are core components of the United States-Israel 
special relationship; 
Whereas the State of Israel, its soldiers and civilians have 
faced a wave of stabbing and other terrorist attacks; 
Whereas incitement against Israel and Israelis, including by 
Palestinian officials, has contributed to the rise of such 
attacks; 
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•HRES 686 IH 
Whereas, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Military Intelligence 
Chief Major General Herzi Halevi reportedly highlighted 
for Israeli ministers that a sense of despair and frustra-
tion among Palestinians has also contributed to the rise 
of the current wave of violence; 
Whereas IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gadi 
Eisenkot recently noted that, ‘‘security cooperation be-
tween the IDF and the Palestinian Security forces is a 
shared interest of both parties’’; 
Whereas Lieutenant General Eisenkot also stated that taking 
steps to ensure that Palestinians are able to lead hopeful 
lives and provide for their families would benefit Israeli 
security; 
Whereas the House of Representatives has repeatedly called 
for a negotiated two-state solution to ensure Israel’s sur-
vival as a Jewish and democratic state, living alongside 
a Palestinian state in peace and security; 
Whereas the House of Representatives has also repeatedly ex-
pressed its opposition to the Palestinian Government’s 
strategy of seeking to penalize and sanction the State of 
Israel or its citizens before international tribunals such 
as the International Criminal Court; 
Whereas Vice President of the United States Joseph R. 
Biden, Jr., stated on March 20, 2016, ‘‘Israel’s govern-
ment’s steady and systematic process of expanding settle-
ments, legalizing outposts, seizing land, is eroding in my 
view the prospect of a two-state solution’’; and 
Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry stated on December 
5, 2015, that interim confidence-building measures, while 
constructive, ‘‘won’t ever take the place, however, of a 
real, credible political horizon for two states that meets 
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•HRES 686 IH 
the legitimate aspirations of both peoples [which] could 
help begin to reduce tensions, build some trust, restore 
a measure of hope, open up new possibilities, and hope-
fully create some political space for people to be able to 
make bigger, more critical decisions’’: Now, therefore, be 
it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) condemns in the strongest possible terms 
acts of terrorism against Israelis; 
(2) mourns all loss of innocent life on both 
sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; 
(3) supports the Administration’s continuing ef-
forts to ensure the long-term security of Israel 
through robust military and intelligence cooperation 
and assistance, and its commitment to strengthening 
that partnership; 
(4) encourages the United States Government 
to take further steps to enhance Israel’s immediate 
security, including— 
(A) reconvening the Trilateral Commission 
on Incitement to address and prevent violence- 
inspiring rhetoric, as unanimously articulated in 
H. Res. 293; 
(B) maintaining robust United States as-
sistance to train and help support the oper-
ational costs of Palestinian security forces co-
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operating with Israeli security forces to fight 
terrorism; and 
(C) working with Israel on enhancing areas 
of assistance and cooperation that would facili-
tate greater freedom of movement, economic 
growth, access to water and other elements of 
human security for Palestinians living in the 
West Bank; and 
(5) encourages the United States Government 
to help create the conditions for progress toward a 
negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Pales-
tinian conflict by— 
(A) consistently and firmly opposing ef-
forts by the Palestinians to seek penalties and 
sanctions against the State of Israel and 
Israelis before international tribunals such as 
the International Criminal Court; 
(B) consistently and firmly articulating 49 
years of consistent, bipartisan United States 
opposition to settlement expansion; and 
(C) helping provide a political horizon for 
ending the conflict by articulating a non-bind-
ing vision of what a comprehensive final status 
agreement might entail that could help foster 
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and guide revived negotiations between the par-
ties. 
Æ 
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