Asserting that Hamas and other terrorist organizations should not participate in elections held by the…

Reaffirms the House of Representatives' commitment to the security of Israel.

Asserts that: (1) terrorist organizations, such as Hamas, should not be permitted to participate in Palestinian elections until such organizations recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, cease incitement, condemn terrorism, and disarm and dismantle their terrorist infrastructure; and (2) the inclusion of Hamas or any other terrorist group on the Department of State's list of foreign terrorist organizations in the Palestinian Authority's (PA) government will inevitably raise serious U.S. questions about the commitment of the PA and its leadership to peace with Israel, and will potentially undermine U.S. ability to have a constructive relationship with, or provide further assistance to, the PA.

Calls on President Abbas, before the election, to declare openly his intention to dismantle terrorist organizations.

States that: (1) progress in the peace process requires sustained Palestinian effort to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure; and (2) delay in confronting that principal obligation only emboldens the opponents of peace and threatens its realization.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov