One-sided, anti-Israel resolutions will only put lasting peace further out of reach

Washington, D.C. – Tonight the House of Representatives passed Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce’s (R-CA) legislation which recognizes that sustainable peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will come only through direct bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.  The legislation also calls on the administration to oppose and veto U.N. Security Council resolutions that are one-sided or anti-Israel.

On the House floor prior to the vote, Chairman Royce delivered the following remarks (as prepared for delivery):

“There is a growing concern in Congress that despite established, bipartisan United States policy, the Obama Administration may end the practice of vetoing resolutions in the Security Council that strayed from the principal that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be resolved through direct negotiations between the parties.

This Administration could also end the related practice of vetoing Security Council resolutions that are one-sided or anti-Israel. This is a real concern. Press reports suggest that such a one-sided resolution could be submitted in days.

Worse, the Obama Administration could support a resolution at the U.N. Security Council setting ‘parameters’ for a final settlement between Israel and the Palestinians. U.S. policy has long and wisely been that only Israelis and Palestinians can work out a peace agreement between themselves, and that efforts to impose one would be counterproductive. Whatever ‘parameters’ the U.N. established would be unacceptable to any Israeli government, left or right – making it impossible to see any future peace.

And what on earth suggests that Israel has a willing partner in peace? Our Committee has held hearings to expose the Palestinian Authority’s complicity in inciting violence—against Israel and Israelis.

Mr. Speaker: Israel is contending with a deep-seated hatred, nurtured by Palestinian leaders over many years in mosques, schools, newspapers, and on TV. As one witness told our Committee, ‘“Incitement”’ is the term we usually use, but hatred is what we mean…teaching generations of Palestinians to hate Jews by demonizing and dehumanizing them.’

And Palestinians are lured to terrorism with more than just words. Since 2003, it has been Palestinian law to reward Palestinian terrorists in Israeli jails with a monthly paycheck. The Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization use a so-called “martyrs’ fund” to pay the families of Palestinian prisoners and suicide bombers. This ‘pay-to-slay scheme’ must stop. Period.

In the face of such hatred the United States must stand firm, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be resolved through direct negotiations between the parties.”

Click HERE to watch the video of Chairman Royce’s remarks.

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