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Rep. Chu Statement on Commitment to Israel and Two-State Solution

January 6, 2017

Washington, DC – Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted to pass H. Res. 11, a bill objecting to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2334 as an obstacle to Israeli-Palestinian peace. The UNSC resolution, which was critical of the development of Israeli settlements, passed last month by a vote of 14-0 with the U.S. abstaining. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) released the following statement on her decision to vote against H. Res. 11:

"My commitment to Israel's future as a secure, democratic, Jewish state is unbreakable. As is my belief that not only do the Palestinians deserve a state of their own, but that Israel's future is in jeopardy without such a two-state solution. Last month's biased UNSC resolution – the latest in a long line of biased attacks on Israel from the UN – brings us no closer to that solution. Neither, though, does the resolution we considered yesterday, which makes false claims that the UN resolution is binding, imposes a final agreement, or represents a break from U.S. policy. None of that is true, and in fact, up until this most recent vote, President Obama was the only president in 50 years not to allow a UN resolution critical of Israel to pass. There was alternative language to H. Res. 11 that was less problematic and focused more on the need for a two-state solution, but unfortunately, that language was rejected for this more divisive approach. I'm very pleased that Reps. David Price, Eliot Engel, and Gerry Connolly have introduced that language as a standalone resolution, however, and am proud to be an original cosponsor of H. Res. 23, reaffirming U.S. support for bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, as the only path to peace.

"What's clear is that we must stop playing politics with Israel. The time for recriminations and finger pointing is long past. The UN was wrong to place such blame on Israel. But we do not correct that wrong with a biased resolution of our own. What we need now are actions. Actions like the recent $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding negotiated between Israel and the U.S. which will deliver more aid to Israel than ever before. And above all, if we are to achieve peace, agree on borders, and determine the status of Jerusalem, we need a return to direct, bilateral negotiations between Israel and Palestinians. That, and only that, will reach the ends we desire."

The text of H. Res. 23, of which Rep. Chu is an original cosponsor, can be found here.