119-sres410

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 410 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

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.

_______________________________________________________________________

 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

_______________________________________________________________________

 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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