THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY MICCARELLI, B. BOYLE, SHAPIRO, AUMENT, BARRAR, BROOKS, CUTLER, FABRIZIO, FLECK, GABLER, GROVE, HEFFLEY, HESS, HORNAMAN, KORTZ, KRIEGER, MAJOR, METZGAR, MICOZZIE, MURT, PICKETT, SABATINA, SCHRODER, TALLMAN, HUTCHINSON, SAYLOR, JOSEPHS, KAUFFMAN, M. O'BRIEN, FRANKEL, GERGELY AND DePASQUALE, SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, SEPTEMBER 13, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Memorializing the Congress of the United States to reaffirm the

commitment of the United States to a negotiated settlement of

the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and supporting United States

Senate Resolution No. 185.

WHEREAS, The House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania expresses its strong support of United States

Senate Resolution 185, which reaffirms the commitment of the

United States to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-

Palestinian Conflict through direct Israeli-Palestinian

negotiations. It also reaffirms opposition to the inclusion of

Hamas in a united government unless it is willing to accept

peace with Israel and renounce violence and, further, declare

that Palestinian efforts to gain recognition as a state outside

direct negotiations demonstrates absence of a good faith

commitment to peace negotiations and will have implications for

continued United States aid; and

WHEREAS, The policy of the United States since 2002 has been

to support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian

Conflict; and

WHEREAS, A true and lasting peace between the people of

Israel and the Palestinians can only be achieved through direct

negotiations between the parties. This was the feeling of

Palestine Liberation Organization Chair Yasser Arafat, who wrote

to Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on September 9, 1993,

stating that all outstanding issues relating to permanent status

will be resolved through negotiations; and

WHEREAS, The reconciliation agreement signed by Fatah and

Hamas on May 4, 2011, was reached without Hamas being required

to renounce violence, accept Israel's right to exist and accept

prior agreements made by the Palestinians (the Quartet

conditions). Hamas, an organization responsible for the death of

more than 500 innocent civilians, including two dozen United

States citizens, has been designated by the United States

Government as a foreign terrorist organization and a specially

designated terrorist organization. It has violated international

norms since 2006, when it kidnapped and held captive Israeli

sergeant Gilad Shalit, and it continues to forcefully reject the

possibility of negotiations or peace with Israel. By contrast,

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted a two-

state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; and

WHEREAS, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stated, "We

will not deal with nor in any way fund a Palestinian government

that includes Hamas unless and until Hamas has renounced

violence, recognized Israel and agreed to follow the previous

obligations of the Palestinian Authority." The United States has

also vetoed, under two Presidents, 11 United Nations Security

Council resolutions related to this conflict and our permanent

representative to that organization has stated that it is

"unwise" for the United Nations to attempt to resolve key issues

between the Israelis and Palestinians. The Congress of the

United States has also resolved that any attempt to establish

Palestinian statehood outside the negotiating process will

"invoke the strongest possible congressional opposition." The

United States provides more than $550 million annually and more

than $3.5 billion cumulatively in direct bilateral assistance to

the Palestinians, who are among the world's largest recipients

of foreign aid per capita; and

WHEREAS, The resolution reaffirms the Senate's strong support

for a negotiated solution, 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. It states its firm belief that any Palestinian

unity government must publicly and formally forswear terrorism,

accept Israel's right to exist and reaffirm previous agreements

made with the State of Israel. It also reiterates its strong

opposition to any attempt to establish or seek recognition of a

Palestinian state outside of an agreement negotiated between

leaders in Israel and Palestine. The resolution supports the

President's opposition to a unilateral declaration of a

Palestinian state and calls on other elements of the United

States Government to continue the strong statements expressed in

the past; and

WHEREAS, The House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania acknowledges the bipartisan cosponsorship of this

resolution by 88 members of the United States Senate, including

both Senators Robert P. Casey, Jr. and Patrick Toomey of

Pennsylvania, and its subsequent passage by unanimous consent;

and

WHEREAS, It is our hope that this strong message by the

United States Senate and other legislative bodies around the

nation will reaffirm its belief to the international community

that the United Nations recognition of a Palestinian state at

this time does not further the peace process; and therefore be

it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the Congress of the

United States to unite this legislative body in support of

United States Senate Resolution No. 185, and to demonstrate our

desire to bring about the peace so desperately needed in the

Middle East; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to

the President of the United States, to the presiding officers of

each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from

Pennsylvania.