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
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
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.