Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz, member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.Res. 268, reaffirming the United States' commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. The resolution, which the Congresswoman co-sponsored, passed with a broad bipartisan vote of 407-6.

“As a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Democratic Israel Working Group and the U.S.-Israel Security Caucus, I remain actively engaged in ensuring the continued strength of the unique relationship between the State of Israel and the United States.

“Yesterday the House passed an important resolution which clearly defines the United States’ commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through direct negotiations.

“As I stated earlier this year following a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, direct negotiations are the only way agreement can be reached on the key outstanding issues, including the border.  Any decision on the shape of the border must be negotiated directly between the Israelis and the Palestinians and must accommodate Israel’s current population and security needs.

“I am also thankful for President Obama’s strong comments on this issue and I look forward to working with him to counter Palestinian efforts to abandon negotiations and seek a unilateral declaration of statehood.”

House Resolution 268:

·         Reaffirms support for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states, a democratic, Jewish state of Israel and a democratic Palestinian state living in peace and mutual recognition.

·         States that any Palestinian unity government must forswear terrorism, accept Israel's right to exist, and reaffirm previous agreements made with Israel.

·         Opposes any attempt to establish or seek recognition of a Palestinian state outside of an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians.

·         Urges Palestinian leaders to cease efforts at circumventing the negotiation process, including through a unilateral declaration of statehood or by seeking recognition of a Palestinian state from other nations or the United Nations (U.N.).

·         Supports the Administration's opposition to a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state.

·         Affirms that Palestinian efforts to circumvent direct negotiations will harm U.S.-Palestinian relations and will have implications for U.S. assistance programs for the Palestinians and the Palestinians Authority (PA).

·         Reaffirms the U.S. statutory requirement precluding assistance to a PA that includes Hamas unless that PA and all its ministers accept Israel's right to exist and all prior agreements and understandings with the United States and Israel.

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