Reaffirming Commitment to Negotiated Settlement of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Floor Speech

Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today as a proud co-sponsor and strong supporter of H. Res. 268, which reaffirms our national commitment to a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Madam Speaker, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has persisted for generations. It has claimed thousands of lives and has contributed to instability in the world's most volatile region. Few things would do more to advance the cause of world peace than the achievement of the two-state solution which recognizes Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state with secure borders and the right of the Palestinians to govern themselves in an autonomous state with the resources and factor endowments to enable the Palestinian people to live in dignity.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a strong and vocal advocate for direct negotiations, has already accepted a two-state solution, only to be continually rebuffed by the Palestinians at every turn.

Madam Speaker, attempts by Palestinian leadership to circumvent direct negotiations with Israel and instead seek direct recognition from the United Nations and foreign governments is counter-productive and undermines the work that has been done over the last several decades to come to a peaceful and mutually beneficial resolution.

The unilateral declaration of statehood by the Palestinian Authority shows a disregard for and violation of the underlying principles of Middle East peace agreements, including the Oslo Accords, the Road Map, and most recently the Annapolis Conference.

Madam Speaker, a two-state solution is the only feasible resolution to this long-standing conflict. Therefore I strongly applaud the Administration for opposing international recognition of a Palestinian state that is not reached in direct negotiation with Israel.

I urge the President to direct the United States Ambassador to the U.N. to exercise our veto with respect to any resolution of the United Nations Security Council to the contrary and call upon Palestinian leaders to return to the negotiation table in a good faith effort to reach a mutually acceptable agreement to bring about the two-state solution, which is one and sure path to the just and lasting peace we all seek.

For these reasons, I strongly support H. Res. 268 and urge my colleagues to join me.

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