Title: A resolution objecting to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 and to all efforts that undermine direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians for a secure and peaceful settlement.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Objects to U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334. Such resolution characterizes Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as illegal and demands cessation of settlement activities.
Calls for such resolution to be repealed or fundamentally altered and allows all final status issues toward a two-state solution to be resolved through direct bilateral negotiations between the parties. Rejects efforts by outside bodies to impose solutions that set back the cause of peace.
Demands that the United States ensure that no action is taken at the Paris Conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict scheduled for January 15, 2017, that imposes an agreement or parameters on the parties.
Notes that granting membership and statehood standing to the Palestinians at the U.N., its specialized agencies, and other international institutions outside of the context of a bilateral peace agreement with Israel would cause severe harm to the peace process and would likely trigger penalties under provisions of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 regarding limitations on assistance to the Palestinians.
Rejects any efforts by international organizations to use such resolution to further isolate Israel and urges the U.S. government to act where needed to counter any such efforts.
Urges: (1) U.S. presidential Administrations to uphold the practice of vetoing all Security Council resolutions that seek to insert the council into the peace process, recognize unilateral Palestinian actions, or dictate terms and a time line for a solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and (2) the incoming presidential Administration to work with Congress to create conditions that facilitate the resumption of negotiations without preconditions between Israelis and Palestinians to achieve a sustainable agreement acceptable to both sides.
Reaffirms that it is U.S. policy to seek a sustainable, just, and secure two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 6 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 6

Objecting to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 and to all 
   efforts that undermine direct negotiations between Israel and the 
           Palestinians for a secure and peaceful settlement.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 4, 2017

  Mr. Rubio (for himself, Mr. Cardin, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
     Moran, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Graham, Mrs. 
  Gillibrand, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. Ernst, Mr. Coons, Mr. 
 Young, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Heller, Mr. Casey, Mr. Portman, Mr. Donnelly, 
Mr. McCain, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Risch, Mr. Peters, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Warner, 
  Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. 
Cochran, Mr. Barrasso, Ms. Collins, Mr. Toomey, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Flake, 
Mr. Booker, and Mrs. Capito) submitted the following resolution; which 
           was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Objecting to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 and to all 
   efforts that undermine direct negotiations between Israel and the 
           Palestinians for a secure and peaceful settlement.

Whereas it is long-standing policy of the United States Government that a 
        peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must come 
        through direct, bilateral negotiations without preconditions for a 
        sustainable two-state solution;
Whereas President Barack Obama expressed before the United Nations General 
        Assembly in 2011 that ``peace will not come through statements and 
        resolutions at the United Nations--if it were that easy, it would have 
        been accomplished by now'';
Whereas Yasser Arafat committed by letter dated September 9, 1993, to then Prime 
        Minister Yitzhak Rabin, ``The PLO commits itself to the Middle East 
        peace process and to the peaceful resolution of the conflict between the 
        two sides and declares that all outstanding issues relating to permanent 
        status will be resolved by negotiation.'';
Whereas the United Nations has taken a long-standing biased approach towards 
        Israel, confirmed in outgoing Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon's final 
        address to the United Nations Security Council, when he described the 
        ``disproportionate'' volume of resolutions targeting Israel and stated 
        that ``decades of political maneuvering have created a disproportionate 
        number of resolutions, reports, and committees against Israel'';
Whereas the United Nations is not the appropriate venue and should not be a 
        forum used for seeking unilateral action, recognition, or dictating 
        parameters for a two-state solution, including the status of Jerusalem;
Whereas it is long-standing practice of the United States Government to oppose 
        and veto any United Nations Security Council resolution dictating terms, 
        conditions, and timelines on the peace process;
Whereas it is also the historic position of the United States Government to 
        oppose and veto one-sided or anti-Israel resolutions at the United 
        Nations Security Council;
Whereas efforts to impose a solution or parameters for a solution will make 
        negotiations more difficult and will set back the cause of peace;
Whereas the Obama Administration's decision not to veto United Nations Security 
        Council Resolution 2334 (2016) is inconsistent with long-standing United 
        States policy and makes direct negotiations more, not less, challenging;
Whereas several United States administrations have articulated principles as a 
        vision for achieving a two-state solution, including addressing borders, 
        mutual recognition, refugees, Jerusalem, and ending all outstanding 
        claims;
Whereas Israel is a vibrant democracy whose leaders are elected and accountable 
        to the Israeli people; and
Whereas the Palestinian Authority must engage in broad, meaningful, and systemic 
        reforms in order to ultimately prepare its institutions and people for 
        statehood and peaceful coexistence with Israel: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses grave objection to United Nations Security 
        Council Resolution 2334 (2016);
            (2) calls for United Nations Security Council Resolution 
        2334 to be repealed or fundamentally altered so that it is no 
        longer one-sided and allows all final status issues toward a 
        two-state solution to be resolved through direct bilateral 
        negotiations between the parties;
            (3) rejects efforts by outside bodies, including the United 
        Nations Security Council, to impose solutions from the outside 
        that set back the cause of peace;
            (4) demands that the United States ensure that no action is 
        taken at the Paris Conference on the Israeli-Palestinian 
        conflict scheduled for January 15, 2017, that imposes an 
        agreement or parameters on the parties;
            (5) notes that granting membership and statehood standing 
        to the Palestinians at the United Nations, its specialized 
        agencies, and other international institutions outside of the 
        context of a bilateral peace agreement with Israel would cause 
        severe harm to the peace process, and would likely trigger the 
        implementation of penalties under sections 7036 and 7041(j) of 
        the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related 
        Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 (division K of Public Law 
        114-113);
            (6) rejects any efforts by the United Nations, United 
        Nations agencies, United Nations member states, and other 
        international organizations to use United Nations Security 
        Council Resolution 2334 to further isolate Israel through 
        economic or other boycotts or any other measures, and urges the 
        United States Government to take action where needed to counter 
        any attempts to use United Nations Security Council Resolution 
        2334 to further isolate Israel;
            (7) urges the current Presidential administration and all 
        future Presidential administrations to uphold the practice of 
        vetoing all United Nations Security Council resolutions that 
        seek to insert the Council into the peace process, recognize 
        unilateral Palestinian actions including declaration of a 
        Palestinian state, or dictate terms and a timeline for a 
        solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
            (8) reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to 
        continue to seek a sustainable, just, and secure two-state 
        solution to resolve the conflict between the Israelis and the 
        Palestinians; and
            (9) urges the incoming Administration to work with Congress 
        to create conditions that facilitate the resumption of direct, 
        bilateral negotiations without preconditions between Israelis 
        and Palestinians with the goal of achieving a sustainable 
        agreement that is acceptable to both sides.
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