Title: Expressing the policy of the United States with respect to a two-state solution between the State of Israel and the Palestinian people.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Expresses that it is U.S. policy to: (1) oppose a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinian people if either party refuses to recognize the other party's right to exist; and (2) require Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority officials, if they seek the support of the United States in peace efforts, to fully recognize the 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles, or Oslo Accords, as legitimate and as the basis for the peace negotiations and to acknowledge Israel's right to exist and Israel's historical land claims.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 331 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






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 acceptance of the other's 
        existence in cease-fires and armistices 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 Security Council Resolution 242 (1967);
Whereas the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt in 1978 foresaw a 
        transitional arrangement for self-governance in the West Bank and Gaza 
        pending negotiations between Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Palestinian 
        representatives 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 limited 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 realities.'';
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 demilitarization and Israel's 
        security needs, and if the Palestinians recognize 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 a poll taken in December 2016 and released in February 2017 indicated 
        54.7 percent of Israelis, 49.9 percent of Israeli Jews, and 44.3 percent 
        of Palestinians support a two-state solution;
Whereas on July 30, 2012, Fatah official Nabil Shaath stated that the 
        Palestinian Authority government to be headed 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 looking 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
            (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 negotiations; 
                and
                    (B) to acknowledge Israel's right to exist and 
                Israel's historical land claims.
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