The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to condemn recent efforts by the Palestinian Authority to achieve unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, a resolution that was cheered by the largest Zionist lobbying organization, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).The resolution, introduced by California Representative Howard Berman, was titled “Supporting a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and condemning unilateral measures to declare or recognize a Palestinian state.”
It included a number of statements by US Secretary of State Clinton and other US officials calling for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and said that the US “reaffirms its strong support for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states, a democratic, Jewish state of Israel and a viable, democratic Palestinian state, living side-by-side in peace, security, and mutual recognition; [and] reaffirms its strong opposition to any attempt to establish or seek recognition of a Palestinian state outside of an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians.”
The resolution also referenced the decision by both Brazil and Argentina to recognize a Palestinian state, and said that the US would veto any move by the United Nations Security Council to recognize a Palestinian state.
53 Congressmembers co-sponsored the resolution, and it passed in a voice vote without objection.
