IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 331 
Expressing the policy of the United States with respect to a two-state solution 
between the State of Israel and the Palestinian people. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 17, 2017 
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the policy of the United States with respect to 
a two-state solution between the State of Israel and 
the Palestinian people. 
Whereas Jewish authorities supported the United Nations 
Partition Plan of 1947 that called for both a Jewish and 
an Arab state as successor authorities to the prior 
League of Nations British mandate in Palestine; 
Whereas both Jewish and Arab forces implied a de facto ac-
ceptance of the other’s existence in cease-fires and armi-
stices after the 1948, 1967, and 1973 wars; 
Whereas Arab-Israel peace talks after 1967 have comported 
with the ‘‘land for peace’’ ideas of United Nations Secu-
rity Council Resolution 242 (1967); 
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•HRES 331 IH 
Whereas the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt 
in 1978 foresaw a transitional arrangement for self-gov-
ernance in the West Bank and Gaza pending negotiations 
between Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Palestinian represent-
atives on the territories’ final status; 
Whereas in 1988, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) 
Chairman Yasser Arafat made statements appearing to 
contemplate the establishment of a Palestinian state 
alongside Israel; 
Whereas the 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles, or 
Oslo Accords, anticipated a transitional Palestinian lim-
ited self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza pending final- 
status negotiations, and following this declaration the 
PLO expressed its recognition of Israel’s right to exist; 
Whereas in January 2001, President Clinton said ‘‘I think 
there can be no genuine resolution to the conflict without 
a sovereign, viable, Palestinian state that accommodates 
Israelis’ security requirements and the demographic reali-
ties.’’; 
Whereas in 2002, President George W. Bush said ‘‘My vision 
is two states, living side by side in peace and security.’’; 
Whereas in 2009, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that 
if Israel received an acceptable ‘‘guarantee regarding de-
militarization and Israel’s security needs, and if the Pal-
estinians recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish peo-
ple, 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 a poll taken in December 2016 and released in Feb-
ruary 2017 indicated 54.7 percent of Israelis, 49.9 per-
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•HRES 331 IH 
cent of Israeli Jews, and 44.3 percent of Palestinians 
support a two-state solution; 
Whereas on July 30, 2012, Fatah official Nabil Shaath stat-
ed that the Palestinian Authority government to be head-
ed by Mahmoud Abbas ‘‘need not recognize Israel’’; 
Whereas on November 26, 2014, Mahmoud Abbas stated that 
Palestine ‘‘will never recognize the Jewishness of the 
state of Israel’’; 
Whereas on February 13, 2017, Hamas elected Yehiya 
Sinwar, a known criminal who is on record as stating 
that Israel has no right to exist; 
Whereas in their joint press conference on February 15, 
2017, President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu 
expressed that the ‘‘recognition of the Jewish state and 
Israel’s security needs’’ is a key prerequisite to peace; 
and 
Whereas stonewalling on the Palestinian side is perceived by 
President Trump and others as unproductive such that 
President Trump on February 15, 2017, said ‘‘I’m look-
ing at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that 
both parties like. I’m very happy with the one that both 
parties like. I can live with either one.’’: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, That it is the policy of the United States— 
(1) to oppose a two-state solution between the 
State of Israel and the Palestinian people if either 
party refuses to recognize the other party’s right to 
exist; and 
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•HRES 331 IH 
(2) if current Palestine Liberation Organization 
(PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA) officials seek 
the support of the United States in peace efforts, to 
require such officials— 
(A) to fully recognize the 1993 Israel-PLO 
Declaration of Principles, or Oslo Accords, as 
legitimate and as the basis for the peace nego-
tiations; and 
(B) to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist 
and Israel’s historical land claims. 
Æ 
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