HOUSE RESOLUTION 13

(By Delegates Higginbotham and L. Pack)

[Introduced March 3, 2021]

Demanding that President Biden keep the United States Embassy in Israel in Jerusalem.

Whereas, On February 5, 2021, the United Senates Senate voted 97 to 3 to keep the United States Embassy in Israel in Jerusalem; and

Whereas, Congress has made the following findings in regards to the embassy being in Jerusalem:

 (1) Each sovereign nation, under international law and custom, may designate its own capital.

(2) Since 1950, the city of Jerusalem has been the capital of the State of Israel.

(3) The city of Jerusalem is the seat of Israel’s President, Parliament, and Supreme Court, and the site of numerous government ministries and social and cultural institutions.

(4) The city of Jerusalem is the spiritual center of Judaism, and is also considered a holy city by the members of other religious faiths.

(5) From 1948–1967, Jerusalem was a divided city and Israeli citizens of all faiths as well as Jewish citizens of all states were denied access to holy sites in the area controlled

by Jordan.

(6) In 1967, the city of Jerusalem was reunited during the conflict known as the Six Day War.

(7) Since 1967, Jerusalem has been a united city administered by Israel, and persons of all religious faiths have been guaranteed full access to holy sites within the city.

(8) This year marks the 28th consecutive year that Jerusalem has been administered as a unified city in which the rights of all faiths have been respected and protected.

(9) In 1990, the Congress unanimously adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 106, which declares that the Congress ‘‘strongly believes that Jerusalem must remain an undivided

city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected’’.

(10) In 1992, the United States Senate and House of Representatives unanimously adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 113 of the One Hundred Second Congress to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, and reaffirming congressional sentiment that Jerusalem must remain an undivided city; therefore be it

Resolved by the House of Delegates:

Thant the House of Delegates demand that President Biden keep the United States Embassy in Israel in Jerusalem; and be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk forward a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States.