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Palestinian state up for vote in US House resolution

“The Palestinian Arabs have rejected any peace talks with Israel and refuse to discuss peace with the United States,” said the Zionist Organization of America.

By Jackson Richman, JNS

The U.S. House of Representatives is slated to vote Friday on a resolution reaffirming a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It was introduced by Reps. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), and Karen Bass (D-Calif.). It emphasizes the U.S.-Israel relationship on issues from national security to shared values such as “democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”

At the same time, it also states, “The United States has long sought a just and stable future for Palestinians, and an end to the occupation, including opposing settlement activity and moves toward unilateral annexation in Palestinian territory.”

The resolution currently has 192 co-sponsors, all Democratic.

“The Palestinian Arabs have rejected any peace talks with Israel and refuse to discuss peace with the United States,” said the Zionist Organization of America in a statement, rejecting the proposed resolution.

“After two inconclusive Israeli elections and the prospects growing for a third, it is completely inappropriate for the U.S. House of Representatives to try to interfere with Israeli policy as Israel tries to form a new government,” the organization argued.

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However, the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) supports the resolution.

“JDCA strongly supports the passage of H. Res. 326, which is co-sponsored by nearly 200 Democrats and reaffirms decades-long, bipartisan U.S. support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Halie Soifer, the group’s executive director, told JNS.

“This resolution is especially important in light of the possibility of unilateral Israeli annexation of the West Bank, which would significantly impede prospects for a two-state solution and may call into question Israel’s future as a secure, Jewish, and democratic state,” added Soifer.

Therefore, she said, “we call on Republicans and Democrats who support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship to vote for this resolution when it comes to the House floor for a vote on Friday.”

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) told JNS it does not have a stance on the measure.