116 SRES 188 IS: Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, and for other purposes.
U.S. Senate
2023-05-02
text/xml
EN
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III
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 188
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 2, 2023
Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Risch, Mr. Schumer, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Romney, Mr. Coons, Mr. Young, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Rubio, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Braun, Mr. Booker, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Hagerty, Mr. Graham, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Scott of Florida, and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
RESOLUTION
Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, and for other purposes.
Whereas May 14, 2023, marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel;
Whereas May 11, 2023, marks the 74th anniversary of Israel’s membership in the United Nations;
Whereas, on September 21, 1922, President Warren G. Harding signed House Joint Resolution 322, after unanimous support from the House of Representatives and the Senate, endorsing the Balfour Declaration establishing a national home for the Jewish people;
Whereas, on May 14, 1948, the people of Israel proclaimed the establishment of the sovereign and independent State of Israel;
Whereas, on May 14, 1948, President Harry S. Truman, on behalf of the United States, was the first foreign leader to recognize the Jewish government of the State of Israel;
Whereas the establishment of the State of Israel realized the right of the Jewish people to self-determination and is an outgrowth of the existence of the historic and ancestral kingdom of Israel established in the land of Israel 3,000 years ago with Jerusalem as its capital;
Whereas the establishment of the modern State of Israel as a homeland for the Jews followed the slaughter of more than 6,000,000 Jews during the Holocaust;
Whereas the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, proclaimed on May 14, 1948, states, in part, “THE STATE OF ISRAEL will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”;
Whereas, to preserve these values and the institutions of Israeli democracy, Israel has enacted and amended the Basic Laws of Israel, which provide the foundation of Israel’s democratic system;
Whereas Israel is home to a vibrant Arab community, comprising an estimated 20 percent of Israel’s population and possessing equal rights under Israeli law;
Whereas the people of Israel have established a pluralistic democratic political system, including freedom of speech, a free press, free, fair, and open elections, the rule of law, and other democratic principles and practices;
Whereas Israel—
(1)
offers invaluable contributions to the international community, including humanitarian aid, entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, military weaponry, counterterrorism, airport security, agriculture, water management, arid-zone farming, medical advances, natural gas, and other technologies; and
(2)
will promote a positive vision for emerging technologies that is anchored by democratic values;
Whereas robust bilateral ties with Israel—
(1)
contribute to the security interests of the United States;
(2)
produce security, economic, and cultural benefits in the region;
(3)
increase regional integration and stability; and
(4)
build confidence with respect to peace negotiations;
Whereas Israel—
(1)
maintains diplomatic relations with 166 of the 193 member states of the United Nations; and
(2)
retains 80 resident embassies, 21 consulates general, and 7 special missions globally;
Whereas Israel maintains free trade agreements with the United States, members of the European Union, members of the European Free Trade Association, Canada, Mexico, Ukraine, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and other nation states;
Whereas, in 1987, the United States Government designated Israel as a major non-NATO ally;
Whereas, in 2014, the United States Government designated Israel as a major strategic partner;
Whereas, on March 26, 1979, the Arab Republic of Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel, becoming the first Arab country to establish full, normalized, diplomatic relations with the State of Israel;
Whereas, on October 26, 1994, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel, becoming the second Arab country to normalize ties with Israel;
Whereas security coordination between the State of Israel and the Palestinian National Authority promotes stability and is critical to deescalating tensions;
Whereas the United States has actively supported and played a significant role in the efforts to bring about Israeli-Palestinian peace, consistent with the long-standing United States commitment to a sustainable, viable, two-state solution negotiated directly between the parties, resulting in an end to the conflict and two states for two peoples based on mutual recognition, dignity, and peaceful neighborly relations;
Whereas, on September 15, 2020, the United States, the State of Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords, consisting of agreements to establish full relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain;
Whereas the landmark Abraham Accords were quickly followed by agreements to normalize relations between Israel and Sudan on October 23, 2020, and between Israel and Morocco on December 10, 2020;
Whereas Congress underscored in the Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2022 (division Z of Public Law 117–103) that the Abraham Accords, and related agreements and frameworks, “have the potential to fundamentally transform the security, diplomatic, and economic environment in the Middle East and North Africa and advance vital United States national security interests”;
Whereas the United States continues to build upon the foundations and success of the Abraham Accords by urging further normalization with Israel and by deepening regional integration and cooperation, including between Israel and Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates, most recently, through holding the Negev Summit on March 27 and 28, 2022, in Sde Boker, Israel, and the establishment of the Negev Forum on June 27, 2022, in Manama, Bahrain;
Whereas, on June 27, 2022, the Negev Forum Steering Committee announced the establishment of—
(1)
6 working groups that foster the integration of clean energy, food and water security, education and coexistence, health, regional security, and tourism; and
(2)
“initiatives that strengthen the Palestinian economy and improve the quality of life of Palestinians”;
Whereas the joint security cooperation between the United States and Israel in many fields, including intelligence sharing, air defense technology, joint comprehensive military exercises, and cybersecurity, has proven invaluable in strengthening the national security of the United States and Israel;
Whereas Israel faces growing threats to its security, including—
(1)
Iran’s advancing nuclear program and support for global terrorism;
(2)
terrorist threats from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hizballah; and
(3)
other terrorist threats;
Whereas the United States and Israel have signed three 10-year bilateral security cooperation and assistance memoranda of understanding in which the United States committed to provide Israel with security assistance valued at—
(1)
$26,700,000,000 during the 10-year period ending on September 30, 2008;
(2)
$30,000,000,000 during the 10-year period ending on September 30, 2018; and
(3)
$38,000,000,000 during the 10-year period ending on September 30, 2028;
Whereas Congress has appropriated amounts in accordance with such memoranda of understanding, reflecting the two countries’ shared priorities in the region and the strength of United States support for maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge;
Whereas Congress passed the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act of 2020 (title VIII of division K of Public Law 116–260), which supports economic development and peacebuilding efforts between Israelis and Palestinians;
Whereas antisemitism continues to rise globally, reaching an alarming all-time high during 2021 with 2,717 incidents in the United States and an estimated 1,090,000,000 people worldwide harboring antisemitic attitudes, making self-determination and a safe haven for the Jewish people even more necessary;
Whereas Israel has absorbed millions of Jews from countries throughout the world and fully integrated them into Israeli society;
Whereas the United States and Israel have maintained a special relationship for 75 years based on mutually shared democratic values, common strategic interests, and moral bonds of friendship and mutual respect between their countries and people;
Whereas Israel’s involvement as an active member of the community of nations benefits Israel, the United States, and all governments that share common values and promote democratic stability throughout the world; and
Whereas the United States will continue to advocate for equitable treatment of Israel in international fora in the face of antisemitic bias: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
(1)
recognizes the historic significance of, and joins the Israeli people in their celebration of, the 75th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel;
(2)
reaffirms—
(A)
the longstanding and indelible partnership between the United States and Israel;
(B)
the unshakeable commitment of the United States to the security of the State of Israel; and
(C)
the right of Israel to exist in peace, prosperity, and security alongside its neighbors;
(3)
reiterates its support for a comprehensive and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, in which both enjoy peace, security, and prosperity;
(4)
encourages the diplomatic recognition of the State of Israel and robust engagement with Israel from all governments around the world;
(5)
reiterates its support for the Abraham Accords, the Negev Forum, and all other ongoing efforts to formalize and strengthen relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors in pursuit of a more integrated and peaceful region;
(6)
reaffirms its continuing support for Israel as a Jewish and democratic state that is committed—
(A)
to defending the security, freedom and equality of all its inhabitants, regardless of religion, race, or sex; and
(B)
to guaranteeing freedom of religion, conscience, language, education, and culture;
(7)
reaffirms that the United States will continue to fight against antisemitism globally and against the efforts to delegitimize Israel in international fora;
(8)
commends the people of Israel for their remarkable achievements in building a pluralistic democratic society in the Middle East; and
(9)
extends the warmest congratulations and best wishes to the State of Israel and her people for a peaceful, prosperous, and successful future.