This resolution calls for the formal recognition of the Palestinian Nakba, condemnation of its ongoing effects, and demands the U.S. uphold the rights of Palestinian refugees as established in international law.
Rashida Tlaib
Representative
MI-12
This resolution formally recognizes the historical event of the Palestinian Nakba and the ongoing displacement of Palestinian refugees. It calls for the U.S. to remember this history, uphold the rights of refugees as established in UN Resolution 194, and cease complicity in actions that deny these rights. Ultimately, the bill demands that U.S. policy support the implementation of refugee rights as essential for lasting peace.
Resolution Calls for Formal US Recognition of the Nakba, Demands End to Military Aid for Home Demolitions
This resolution is a formal statement from the House of Representatives demanding a fundamental shift in how the U.S. views and engages with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At its core, it calls for the U.S. to officially recognize the historical event known as the Nakba (Arabic for “catastrophe”), which refers to the 1948 displacement of Palestinians. The resolution asserts that this event is not just history but an ongoing process, and it demands that the U.S. align its policy with international law regarding refugee rights, specifically UN Resolution 194.
The Right to Return: Policy Meets International Law
For busy people, the most concrete policy demand here is the affirmation of the Palestinian refugees' right of return or compensation. The text explicitly cites UN General Assembly Resolution 194 (1948) and Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which state that refugees who wish to return home and live peacefully should be permitted to do so, and those who don't should receive compensation. This isn't just symbolic; it sets a policy benchmark for future peace negotiations. If this resolution were adopted, it would mean the U.S. formally supports the return of the 5.9 million refugees currently served by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)—an agency the resolution also pushes the U.S. to fully support and fund.
The Aid Condition: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Perhaps the most impactful section for U.S. policy—and for taxpayers—is the demand to end U.S. complicity in the “ongoing Nakba.” The resolution specifically states that the U.S. must prohibit its weapons from being used to demolish Palestinian homes or forcibly remove Palestinians from their land and must stop providing diplomatic support for these actions. Right now, U.S. military aid to Israel is largely unrestricted. If this resolution were translated into law, it could directly impact U.S. defense contractors and the flow of military equipment, requiring strict monitoring of how U.S.-supplied bulldozers or munitions are used in the West Bank or Gaza. For example, if a U.S.-made piece of equipment is used to tear down a Palestinian structure deemed illegal by Israeli authorities, this resolution demands that the U.S. halt that specific type of aid.
A New Diplomatic Line in the Sand
Beyond military aid, the resolution requires the U.S. to stop providing diplomatic cover for these actions. This means that at the UN or in other international forums, the U.S. would be expected to actively oppose settlement expansion, home demolitions, and land seizures, rather than vetoing resolutions that criticize them. This is a massive shift from current U.S. foreign policy, which often uses its diplomatic weight to shield Israel from international condemnation. This resolution essentially calls for the U.S. to use its influence to enforce international law and refugee rights, a move that would fundamentally alter the U.S. role in the Middle East and likely generate significant political conflict at home and abroad.