I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1605 
To seek the establishment of and contributions to an International Fund 
for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 19, 2009 
Mr. CROWLEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To seek the establishment of and contributions to an Inter-
national Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited at as the ‘‘International Fund 
for Israeli-Palestinian Peace Authorization Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The persistence of decades-old violence, con-
flict, and instability in the Middle East gravely af-
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fects the national security of the United States and 
peace and stability throughout the world. 
(2) The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian and broader 
Arab-Israeli conflicts strengthen extremists and op-
ponents of peace throughout the region. 
(3) The establishment of peace between Israelis 
and Palestinians, Muslims, Christians, and Jews, in 
the Middle East is in the vital interests of the 
United States, Israelis, Palestinians, the region, and 
the world. 
(4) While the United States and its inter-
national allies continue to support diplomatic and 
political negotiations between the national govern-
ment representatives of the parties to the conflict, 
such efforts require broad popular support among 
the Israeli, Palestinian, Muslim, Christian, and Jew-
ish peoples in order to succeed. Indeed, political 
agreements may never arrive or endure without sub-
stantial public support. 
(5) Through many independent nongovern-
mental activities, tens of thousands of Israelis and 
Palestinians, and Muslims, Christians, and Jews, al-
ready work together to build better relations between 
peoples, through people-to-people coexistence and 
reconciliation activities and other cooperative efforts. 
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(6) Such civil society initiatives promote con-
tact, cooperation, dialogue, shared community build-
ing, peaceful coexistence, joint economic develop-
ment, and reconciliation between Israelis and Pal-
estinians, and Muslims, Christians, and Jews, in the 
Middle East and thereby constitute a key means for 
building grassroots support for a peaceful resolution 
to the conflict. 
(7) By working together, building positive rela-
tionships, learning about each other, and interacting 
regularly in their daily lives, participants in such ac-
tivities come to recognize the human face of people 
across conflict lines, understand that people of good 
will seek peaceful coexistence, and support efforts to 
marginalize extremists and build peace. The impact 
of these programs spreads from participants to their 
families and communities. 
(8) These tangible initiatives also provide much- 
needed services to individuals and communities in 
their everyday lives, helping Israelis and Palestin-
ians, and Muslims, Christians, and Jews, in the re-
gion work, learn, and play together; solve shared 
problems; and build socially and economically 
stronger societies. These efforts extend into every 
sphere of everyday life, promoting cooperation in 
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business, education, healthcare, community building, 
sports, the environment, and the arts. 
(9) While such efforts have demonstrated in-
spiring success and touched tens of thousands of 
people, severely limited funding has heretofore pre-
vented them from reaching millions of Israelis, Pal-
estinians, Muslims, Christians, and Jews and thus 
having a truly widespread impact on popular support 
for peace. 
(10) Majorities of Israelis and Palestinians pri-
vately indicate their support for peace and a final 
settlement of the conflict, but extensive, direct grass-
roots efforts are needed to mobilize these silent ma-
jorities into active and vocal constituents for peace. 
(11) Dramatically increased funding, coordina-
tion, and support for people-to-people coexistence, 
reconciliation, and joint economic initiatives can en-
gage millions of ordinary citizens affected by this 
conflict in building support for peace. 
(12) Working together, the United States, na-
tions around the world, and the private sector can 
catalyze widespread support for peace with the es-
tablishment and funding of an independent Inter-
national Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, to pro-
mote contact, cooperation, dialogue, shared commu-
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nity building, peaceful coexistence, joint economic 
development, and reconciliation between Israelis and 
Palestinians, and Muslims, Christians and Jews, in 
the Middle East. 
(13) Such a Fund will be an expert coordi-
nating body, adhering to best practices for govern-
ance, transparency, and accountability. It will ensure 
that the United States and the international commu-
nity stand fully behind the brave Israelis and Pal-
estinians and Muslims, Christians, and Jews willing 
to work together for peace and a better future. It 
will be an ongoing presence and catalyst, building 
broad public support for a lasting peace in the re-
gion. The Fund is not intended to be a political 
forum, but a grant-making body. 
(b) PURPOSES.—Therefore, the purposes of this Act 
are as follows: 
(1) To urge the President to make every effort, 
in conjunction with the Government of Israel, the 
Palestinian Authority, and the international commu-
nity to establish a non-political International Fund 
for Israeli-Palestinian Peace to promote and support 
contact, cooperation, dialogue, shared community 
building, peaceful coexistence, joint economic devel-
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