IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1731 
Reaffirming Congressional opposition to the declaration of a Palestinian state, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 18, 2010 
Mr. POE of Texas (for himself, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. WEINER, and Ms. ROS- 
LEHTINEN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Reaffirming Congressional opposition to the declaration of 
a Palestinian state, and for other purposes. 
Whereas a true and lasting peace between Israel and the Pal-
estinians can only be achieved through direct negotiations 
between the parties; 
Whereas the leadership of the Palestinian Authority (PA) 
and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) have 
repeatedly refused to negotiate directly with the Govern-
ment of Israel, demanding unprecedented preconditions 
from Israel in exchange for their return to direct negotia-
tions; 
Whereas Palestinian leaders have repeatedly threatened to 
unilaterally declare a Palestinian state and to seek rec-
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HRES 1731 IH 
ognition of a Palestinian state by the United Nations and 
other international forums; 
Whereas Palestinian leaders are reportedly holding high-level 
discussions on pursuing recognition of a Palestinian state 
by the United Nations and other international forums; 
Whereas UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace 
Process Robert Serry on October 26, 2010, expressed his 
support for recognition of a Palestinian state by the 
United Nations; 
Whereas, on March 11, 1999, the Senate adopted Senate 
Concurrent Resolution 5, and on March 16, 1999, the 
House of Representatives adopted House Concurrent 
Resolution 24, both of which resolved that ‘‘any attempt 
to establish Palestinian statehood outside the negotiating 
process will invoke the strongest congressional opposi-
tion.’’; 
Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stated 
on October 20, 2010, that ‘‘There is no substitute for 
face-to-face discussion and, ultimately, for an agreement 
that leads to a just and lasting peace.’’; 
Whereas Secretary Clinton stated on November 10, 2010, 
that ‘‘Negotiations between the parties is the only means 
by which all the outstanding claims arising out of the 
[Israeli-Palestinian] conflict can be resolved . . . So we 
do not support unilateral steps by either party that could 
prejudge the outcome of such negotiations.’’; 
Whereas, on November 10, 2010, the Israeli Knesset adopted 
a resolution ‘‘reject[ing] entirely the threats of some Pal-
estinian leaders to declare unilateral Palestinian state-
hood . . . [affirming] that all points of dispute must be 
debated only within the framework of direct negotiations 
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HRES 1731 IH 
. . . [and] call[ing] on the Palestinian leadership to re-
turn to the negotiating table.’’; 
Whereas Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, in a 
speech at Bar Ilan University in Israel on June 14, 2009, 
stated that ‘‘[A] fundamental prerequisite for ending the 
conflict is a public, binding and unequivocal Palestinian 
recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish 
people . . . Therefore, today we ask our friends in the 
international community, led by the United States, for 
what is critical to the security of Israel: Clear commit-
ments that in a future peace agreement, the territory 
controlled by the Palestinians will be demilitarized . . . 
If we receive this guarantee regarding demilitarization 
and Israel’s security needs, and if the Palestinians recog-
nize Israel as the State of the Jewish people, then we will 
be ready in a future peace agreement to reach a solution 
where a demilitarized Palestinian state exists alongside 
the Jewish state.’’; 
Whereas efforts to bypass negotiations and to unilaterally de-
clare a Palestinian state or to appeal to the United Na-
tions or other international forums for recognition of a 
Palestinian state would clearly and fundamentally violate 
the underlying principles of the 1993 Oslo Accords and 
the Middle East peace process, and represent another in-
stance of the Palestinian leadership’s noncompliance with 
its commitments under existing agreements; and 
Whereas United States opposition to any unilateral Pales-
tinian declaration of statehood or related measures 
should be reaffirmed strongly and unequivocally: Now, 
therefore, be it 
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HRES 1731 IH 
Resolved, by the House of Representatives that Con-
gress— 
(1) reaffirms its strong opposition to any at-
tempt to establish a Palestinian state outside the ne-
gotiating process; 
(2) strongly and unequivocally opposes any at-
tempt to seek recognition of a Palestinian state by 
the United Nations or other international forums; 
(3) calls upon the Administration to continue 
its opposition to the unilateral declaration of a Pal-
estinian state; 
(4) calls upon the Administration to affirm that 
the United States would deny any recognition, legit-
imacy, or support of any kind to any unilaterally de-
clared ‘‘Palestinian state’’ and would urge other re-
sponsible nations to follow suit, and to make clear 
that any such unilateral declaration would constitute 
a grievous violation of the principles underlying the 
Oslo Accords and the Middle East peace process; 
(5) calls upon the Administration to affirm that 
the United States will oppose any attempt to seek 
recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Na-
tions or other international forums and will veto any 
resolution to that end by the United Nations Secu-
rity Council; 
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