H. CON. RES. 165

Floor Speech

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Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the House of Representatives passed unanimously H. Con. Res. 165, a resolution reaffirming the longstanding United States policy in support of a bilaterally- negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and our continued opposition to United Nations Security Council resolutions imposing a solution to the conflict.

To be clear, though only the parties themselves can agree to end the conflict, the United States has engaged in efforts to create better conditions for peace, beyond bilateral negotiations. The United Nations Security Council has also played a useful role in acknowledging harmful actions, rhetoric or policies of both parties to the conflict. The December 2000 parameters under President Bill Clinton, the 2002 Road Map under President George W. Bush and the United Nations Security Council non-binding resolutions 242 and 338 all provided suggestions for bridging differences between the parties, without imposing a solution to the conflict.

There is a nuanced role for the international community to play in fostering the context for peace and enabling the parties to directly negotiate a two-state solution. We should not lose sight of this critical objective.

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