[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 410 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 410
Calling on the President to recognize a demilitarized State of
Palestine, as consistent with international law and the principles of a
two-state solution, alongside a secure State of Israel.
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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 18 (legislative day, September 16), 2025
Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Welch, Mr. Sanders, Mr.
Kaine, Ms. Smith, Ms. Baldwin, and Ms. Hirono) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
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RESOLUTION
Calling on the President to recognize a demilitarized State of
Palestine, as consistent with international law and the principles of a
two-state solution, alongside a secure State of Israel.
Whereas, in 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 181,
calling for the partition of Palestine into two states, one Arab and one
Jewish, with international recognition;
Whereas, in 1967, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 242,
establishing the concept of ``land for peace'';
Whereas, in 1988, the Palestine National Council formally declared the
establishment of the State of Palestine, which the United Nations
General Assembly acknowledged in subsequent resolutions;
Whereas, in 2012, the United Nations General Assembly voted to grant Palestine
non-member observer state status based on pre-1967 borders;
Whereas over 140 of the 193 United Nations member states currently recognize
Palestinian statehood, including major United States allies;
Whereas administrations of both political parties in the United States have long
affirmed that a negotiated two-state solution is the only viable path to
an enduring peace in the region;
Whereas acts of terrorism and violence by Hamas and other terrorist groups, as
well as their rejection of the State of Israel as a national homeland
for the Jewish people, obstruct prospects for peace and security for
both Israelis and Palestinians;
Whereas the holding of free, fair, and inclusive Palestinian elections is
essential for renewing legitimacy, national unity, and paving the way
for meaningful negotiations toward an enduring two-state solution;
Whereas actions and policies by the Government of Israel rejecting a two-state
solution, including the July 2024 vote in the Knesset declaring
opposition to Palestinian statehood, intentional expansion of
settlements in the West Bank, proposals of annexation, and the deepening
of the occupation, further undermine prospects for peace and regional
security;
Whereas key Arab countries in the Middle East, most notably the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, have expressed a willingness to normalize diplomatic and
economic relations with the State of Israel if there is a clear and
irreversible pathway towards Palestinian statehood;
Whereas the July 29, 2025, New York Declaration led by France and Saudi Arabia
along with a number of key Arab and European countries condemned the
October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, insisted that Hamas must not govern
Gaza after the war, and reaffirmed their commitment to the recognition
of a Palestinian state;
Whereas, in an August 30, 2025 letter, Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-
Sheikh wrote to Secretary of State Rubio that the Palestinian Authority
(PA) is ``committed to peace, non-violence, and the principle of one
authority, one government, one law, and one legitimate security force,
and confirmed PA commitment for a demilitarized state''; and
Whereas failure to advance a two-state solution risks entrenching an
unacceptable permanent occupation, further destabilizing the region, and
undermining United States interests and values: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) calls on the President to recognize a demilitarized
State of Palestine, as consistent with international law and
the principles of a two-state solution, alongside a secure
State of Israel;
(2) reaffirms that a two-state solution, with Israel and
Palestine living side by side in mutual recognition and
dignity, must provide for Israel's security and the Palestinian
people's right to self-determination;
(3) urges the Palestinian Authority to follow through on
commitments it has made to European partners as part of the
recognition process, hold elections in 2026 and continue
implementing key reforms to ensure there is democratic
legitimacy in securing self-determination for the Palestinian
people;
(4) recognizes that the current trajectory of settlement
expansion, annexation, rejection of Palestinian statehood, and
ongoing violence and acts of terrorism is incompatible with
peace and must end;
(5) believes there is a historic opportunity to
simultaneously pursue a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict and a comprehensive regional peace between Israel and
all of its Arab neighbors, unlocking the potential for a more
secure and prosperous Middle East;
(6) calls on Hamas to end its campaign of terrorism, lay
down its arms, and provide for the unconditional release of all
hostages, and also calls on Israel to take immediate steps to
end the war in Gaza and surge humanitarian aid into the
territory; and
(7) calls upon Israeli and Palestinian leaders, together
with the Arab world and international community, to begin
working on post-conflict security, governance, and
reconstruction that leads to a comprehensive peace agreement
with Israel at peace with all of its neighbors, including the
State of Palestine.
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