(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.
(11)The September 13, 1993, Declaration of
Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements lays out a
timetable for the resolution of "final status" issues,
including Jerusalem.
(12)The Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the
Jericho Area was signed May 4,1994, beginning the five-year
transitional period laid out in the Declaration of Principles.
(13)In March of 1995, 93 members of the United
States Senate signed a letter to Secretary of State Warren
Christopher encouraging "planning to begin now" for
relocation of the United States Embassy to the city of Jerusalem.
(14)In June of 1993, 257 members of the United
States House of Representatives signed a letter to the Secretary of
State Warren Christopher stating that the relocation of the United
States Embassy to Jerusalem "should take place no later
than....1999".
(15)The United States maintains its embassy in the
functioning capital of every country exceptin the case of our
democratic friend and strategic ally, the State of Israel.
(16)The United States conducts official meetings
and other business in the city of Jerusalem in de facto recognition
of its status as the capital of Israel.
(17)In 1996, the State of Israel will celebrate
the 3,000th anniversary of the Jewish presence in Jerusalem since
King David's entry.