Senators Gillibrand And Rounds Lead Bipartisan Initiative Urging President Obama To Reject And If Needed Veto Any One-Sided Resolutions At The United Nations

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) today led a bipartisan letter with 86 other Senators urging President Obama to continue the longstanding U.S. policy of vetoing any one-sided UN Security Council resolution offered at the United Nations that would ultimately make it more difficult for Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a sustainable two-state solution.

"At a time of great challenges in the Middle East, we are disappointed that talks between Israelis and Palestinians remain stalled," the Senators wrote. "The only way to resolve the conflicts between the two is through direct negotiations that lead to a sustainable two-state solution with a future state of Palestine living in peace and security with Israel. This outcome would provide Israel with greater security and strengthen regional stability. Even well-intentioned initiatives at the United Nations risk locking the parties into positions that will make it more difficult to return to the negotiating table and make the compromises necessary for peace."

The U.S. has a longstanding policy of opposing, and if necessary vetoing these resolutions, whether focused on settlements or other final status issues. As President Obama prepares to attend his final UN General Assembly, the Senators called on him to maintain this longstanding policy, as he has in the past.

The letter led by Senators Gillibrand and Rounds is also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ed Markey (D-MA), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mike Lee (R-UT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Richard Burr (R-NC), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), John Boozman (R-AR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), John McCain (R-AZ), Mark Warner (D-VA), Dan Coats (R-IN), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Dean Heller (R-NV), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Gary Peters (D-MI), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Robert Casey (D-PA), John Barrasso (R-WY), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Angus King (I-ME), John Thune (R-SD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Scott (R-SC), Al Franken (D-MN), David Perdue (R-GA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), James Risch (R-ID), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tom Udall (D-NM), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chris Coons (D-DE), David Vitter (R-LA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), James Lankford (R-OK), Jack Reed (D-RI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Richard Shelby (R-AL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Rob Portman (R-OH).

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