Rep. Schneider Speaks in Opposition to Anti-Israel U.N. Resolution

Yesterday, Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) spoke on the House floor in support of H.Res. 11, Objecting to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 as an obstacle to Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Schneider is an original cosponsor of the legislation, which passed the House in a vote of 342 – 80.

Read below for Schneider's remarks as prepared for delivery:

Mr. Speaker,

For 19 years, when Jordan occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, Jews could not visit the Western Wall, or the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. They were denied access to the places where, for 2,000 years, they have continuously made a personal connection to their faith and their history.

It is impossible to separate Jewish identity from the Western Wall, or the Western Wall from its Jewish identity, or Jerusalem from the Jewish State of Israel.

Yet this is exactly what has been happening in the United Nations for years, and exactly what Security Council Resolution 2334 sought to do.

In addition, the resolution overwhelmingly assigns blame to Israel, while averting direct criticism of Palestinian incitement and violence.

That's why last month I strongly urged President Obama to veto the resolution

The U.S. has, and must continue to seek a sustainable two-state solution with a democratic, Jewish state of Israel and a demilitarized, democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace and security.

But the only path to two states is through direct negotiations between the two parties.

Efforts to force a solution at the U.N. or to internationalize the issue are misguided, and risk moving peace further away, not closer.

As an original co-sponsor, I call on my colleagues to join me in supporting House Resolution 11.

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