[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 684 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 684

 Objecting to the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-
10/19, which criticizes the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as 
                  the capital of the State of Israel.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 11, 2018

 Mr. Gottheimer (for himself, Mr. Gallagher, and Mr. Engel) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Objecting to the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-
10/19, which criticizes the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as 
                  the capital of the State of Israel.

Whereas the United States has long opposed biased resolutions at the United 
        Nations General Assembly, including United Nations General Assembly 
        Resolution 3379, which infamously declared that ``zionism is a form of 
        racism and racial discrimination'';
Whereas the United Nations General Assembly continues to demonstrate bias 
        against Israel, adopting 20 resolutions during the 71st session singling 
        out Israel, more than any other country and more than all other 
        countries combined;
Whereas Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations states that the 
        Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all 
        its Members;
Whereas each sovereign country, under international law and custom, may 
        designate its own capital and, as a sovereign country the United States 
        has the right to determine where to locate its embassies abroad;
Whereas the United States is the single largest contributor of financial support 
        to the United Nations and its agencies, and should reform the United 
        Nations and oppose resolutions that infringe on its sovereignty;
Whereas in 1995, Congress overwhelmingly passed and the President signed into 
        law the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, which declares that it is the 
        policy of the United States that ``Jerusalem should be recognized as the 
        capital of the State of Israel'' and that the ``United States Embassy in 
        Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999'';
Whereas, on December 6, 2017, the President issued a proclamation that the 
        United States recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel 
        and that the United States Embassy to Israel will be relocated to 
        Jerusalem as soon as practicable;
Whereas, on December 18, 2017, the United States Permanent Representative to the 
        United Nations issued a veto to the draft resolution S/2017/1060 in the 
        United Nations Security Council, which contained similar language to the 
        United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-10/19;
Whereas in light of the veto cast on December 18, 2017, by the United States in 
        the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly 
        resumed the tenth Emergency Special Session to consider the resolution 
        which criticizes the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as the 
        capital of Israel and calls upon all countries to refrain from 
        establishing diplomatic missions in Jerusalem; and
Whereas United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-10/19 is non-
        binding, does not carry the force of international law, and has no 
        effect on the sovereign rights of the United States: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) affirms the President's December 6, 2017, proclamation 
        recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announcing 
        the relocation of the United States Embassy to Israel as soon 
        as practicable;
            (2) opposes the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 
        A/RES/ES-10/19 on December 21, 2017, which criticizes the 
        United States' recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of 
        Israel;
            (3) calls for United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/
        RES/ES-10/19 to be repealed; and
            (4) reaffirms that a sustainable peace agreement between 
        Israel and the Palestinians will only result from direct, 
        bilateral negotiations between the two parties, and cannot be 
        imposed by international organizations such as the United 
        Nations.
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