Title: A resolution opposing efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel and the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement targeting Israel.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution opposes the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS) and other efforts targeting Israel, and states that BDS undermines the possibility for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The resolution urges both sides to return to direct negotiations and expresses support for a solution resulting in the state of Israel existing alongside a democratic Palestinian state.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 120 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 120

  Opposing efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel and the Global 
     Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement targeting Israel.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 25, 2019

   Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Portman) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Opposing efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel and the Global 
     Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement targeting Israel.

Whereas the democratic Jewish State of Israel is a key ally and strategic 
        partner of the United States;
Whereas, since Israel's founding in 1948, Congress has repeatedly expressed our 
        Nation's unwavering commitment to the security of Israel as a Jewish and 
        democratic state;
Whereas United States policy has long sought to bring peace to the Middle East 
        and recognized that both the Israeli and Palestinian people should be 
        able to live in safe and sovereign states, free from fear and violence, 
        with mutual recognition;
Whereas support for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians has long-
        standing bipartisan support in Congress;
Whereas it is the long-standing policy of the United States that a peaceful 
        resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should come through 
        direct negotiations between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian 
        Authority, with the support of countries in the region and around the 
        world;
Whereas it is a hallmark of American democracy for citizens to petition the 
        United States Government in favor of or against United States foreign 
        policy;
Whereas cooperation between Israel and the United States is of great importance, 
        especially in the context of rising anti-Semitism, authoritarianism, and 
        security problems in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa;
Whereas the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement (BDS Movement) 
        targeting Israel is a campaign that does not favor a two-state solution 
        and that seeks to exclude the State of Israel and the Israeli people 
        from the economic, cultural, and academic life of the rest of the world;
Whereas the BDS Movement targets not only the Government of Israel, but also 
        academic, cultural, and civil society institutions in Israel, as well as 
        individual Israeli citizens of all political persuasions, religions, and 
        ethnicities, and in some cases even Jews of other nationalities who 
        support Israel;
Whereas the BDS Movement does not recognize, and many of its supporters 
        explicitly deny, the right of the Jewish people to national self-
        determination;
Whereas a founder of the BDS Movement has denied the right of the Jewish people 
        in their homeland, saying, ``We oppose a Jewish state in any part of 
        Palestine. No Palestinian, rational Palestinian, not a sell-out 
        Palestinian, will ever accept a Jewish state in Palestine.'';
Whereas university-based BDS efforts violate the core goals of the university 
        and global cultural development, which thrive on free and open exchange 
        and debate; and
Whereas the BDS Movement promotes principles of collective guilt, mass 
        punishment, and group isolation, which are destructive of prospects for 
        progress towards peace and a two-state solution: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) opposes the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions 
        Movement (BDS Movement) targeting Israel, including efforts to 
        target United States companies that are engaged in commercial 
        activities that are legal under United States law and all 
        efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel;
            (2) affirms that the BDS Movement undermines the 
        possibility for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-
        Palestinian conflict by demanding concessions of one party 
        alone and encouraging the Palestinians to reject negotiations 
        in favor of international pressure;
            (3) urges Israelis and Palestinians to return to direct 
        negotiations as the only way to achieve an end to the Israeli-
        Palestinian conflict;
            (4) supports the full implementation of the United States-
        Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-296; 
        128 Stat. 4075) and new efforts to enhance governmentwide, 
        coordinated United States-Israel scientific and technological 
        cooperation in civilian areas, such as with respect to energy, 
        water, agriculture, alternative fuel technology, civilian space 
        technology, and security, in order to counter the effects of 
        actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel; and
            (5) reaffirms its strong support for a negotiated solution 
        to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states--a 
        democratic Jewish State of Israel and a viable democratic 
        Palestinian state--living side-by-side in peace, security, and 
        mutual recognition.
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