H.Res 769: Affirming the State of Palestine's right to exist

H.Res 769 was introduced on 9/26/2025 by Representative Al Green. It is currently pending before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Related legislation:

Bill Summary: H.Res 769 affirms the Right of the State of Palestine to exist. It states that the Palestinian people are inhabitants of the land of Palestine, and cites UN resolution 181 calling for the partition of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states, the May 14, 1948 statement by President Truman recognizing the State of Israel, and H.Res 888 from the 118th congress reaffirming the State of Israel's right to exist. H.Res 769 resolves that the House of Representatives affirms Palestine’s right to exist but “at a future time to become a nation state.” It also recognizes the two-state solution as the only solution for regional peace while rejecting calls for Palestine's destruction.

Context: H.Res 769 builds on the longstanding U.S. government consensus on the Middle East peace process of Palestinian State as a policy objective providing a concrete statement of rights. However, unlike S.Res. 410, it does not call for the recognition of a Palestinian State, but rather postpones the application of the Resolution’s acknowledged right of Statehood to “a future time.”

While the intention of H.Res 769 may be to reaffirm the Palestinian right of self-determination under the UN charter, by postponing actual recognition to an indefinite future timeframe, the Resolution actually represents a step back from S.Res. 410 and the international consensus that saw 10 American allies recognize Palestinian Statehood at the U.N. General Assembly in September 2025.

American Values Analysis: H.R.769 aspires to reflect the American value espoused by Thomas Jefferson that “every man, and every body of men on earth, possesses the right of self-government: they receive it with their being from the hand of nature.”

American Interest Analysis: H.R. 769 appears to represent a re-affirmation of longstanding policy in a way that, while helpful in the face of pressure from the Trump Administration and Netanyahu Government to reject Palestinian national aspirations, falls short of the need for real change in the U.S. approach.

A New Policy’s Recommendation: Requires Amendment

A New Policy believes H.Res 769 is well-intentioned. However, particularly for a legislator such as Mr. Green, its inclusion of unnecessary language postponing the Palestinian right of self-determination to “a future time” is disappointing, and this clause should be struck. Absent such amendment, the Resolution is a simple reflection of the status quo in which Palestinian self-determination – and a lasting end to the conflict – remains suspended and out of reach, while the State of Israel continues to advance “facts on the ground” (i.e. settlements) that, with each passing day, make the Resolution’s objectives that much less likely to be achieved.

For more information please contact: Josh Paul, info@anewpolicy.org, (202) 770-0055