,i #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dffd ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #b1 #bjaf ,mr4 ,nadler 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,ros-,lehtinen1 ,mr4 ,engel1 ,mr4 ,poe of ,texas1 ,ms4 ,schakowsky1 ,ms4 ,wasserman ,schultz1 ,mr4 ,grayson1 ,ms4 ,velzquez1 ,mr4 ,lowenthal1 ,mr4 ,ted ,lieu of ,california1 ,ms4 ,meng1 ,mr4 ,o',rourke1 ,mr4 ,chabot1 ,mr4 ,brendan ,f4 ,boyle of ,pennsylvania1 ,mr4 ,king of ,new ,york1 and ,mr4 ,donovan7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,president to submit to ,congress a report on actions the ,department of ,state and other relevant ,federal departments and agencies have taken regarding steps to ensure that a just1 comprehensive ,arab-,israeli peace accord also finds resolution of the issue of ,jewish refugees from ,arab countries and ,iran4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,displaced ,jewish ,refugees from ,arab ,countries and ,iran ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,armed conflicts in the ,middle ,east have created refugee populations numbering in the millions and comprised of peoples from many ethnic1 religious1 and national backgrounds4 7#b7 ,jews have lived mostly as a minority in the ,middle ,east1 ,north ,africa1 and the ,persian ,gulf region for more than #b1ejj years4 7#c7 ,the ,united ,states has long voiced its concern about the mistreatment of minorities and the violation of human rights in the ,middle ,east and elsewhere4 7#d7 ,the ,united ,states continues to play a pivotal role in seeking an end to the ,arab-,israeli conflict in the ,middle ,east and to promoting a peace that will benefit all the peoples of the region4 7#e7 ,united ,states administrations historically have called for a just solution to the ,palestinian refugee issue4 7#f7 ,the ,palestinian refugee issue has received considerable attention from countries of the world while the issue of ,jewish refugees from the ,arab and ,muslim worlds has received very little attention4 7#g7 ,a comprehensive peace in the region will require the resolution of all outstanding issues through bilateral and multilateral negotiations involving all concerned parties4 7#h7 ,approximately #hej1jjj ,jews were displaced from ,arab countries and ,iran since the declaration of the ,state of ,israel in #aidh4 7#i7 ,the ,united ,states has demonstrated interest and concern about the mistreatment1 violation of rights1 forced expulsion1 and expropriation of assets of minority populations in general1 and1 in particular1 former ,jewish refugees displaced from ,arab countries as evidenced1 among other things1 by-- 7,a7 the ,memorandum of ,understanding signed by ,president ,jimmy ,carter and ,israeli ,foreign ,minister ,moshe ,dayan on ,october #d1 #aigg1 which states that a solution of the problem of ,arab refugees and ,jewish refugees will be discussed in accordance with rules which should be agreed2 7,b7 after negotiating the ,camp ,david ,accords1 the ,framework for ,peace in the ,middle ,east1 the statement by ,president ,jimmy ,carter in a press conference on ,october #bg1 #aigg1 that ,palestinians have rights 4 4 4 obviously there are ,jewish refugees 4 4 4 they have the same rights as others do2 and 7,c7 in an interview after ,camp ,david ,,ii in ,july #bjjj1 at which the issue of ,jewish refugees displaced from ,arab lands was discussed1 the statement by ,president ,clinton that ,there will have to be some sort of international fund set up for the refugees4 ,there is1 ,i think1 some interest1 interestingly enough1 on both sides1 in also having a fund which compensates the ,israelis who were made refugees by the war1 which occurred after the birth of the ,state of ,israel4 ,israel is full of people1 ,jewish people1 who lived in predominantly ,arab countries who came to ,israel because they were made refugees in their own land44 7#aj7 ,on ,april #a1 #bjjh1 the ,house of ,representatives passed ,house ,resolution #ahe1 expressing the sense of the ,house of ,representatives that-- 7,a7 for any comprehensive ,middle ,east peace agreement to be credible and enduring1 the agreement must address and resolve all outstanding issues relating to the legitimate rights of all refugees1 including ,jews1 ,christians1 and other populations1 displaced from countries in the ,middle ,east2 and 7,b7 the ,president should instruct the ,united ,states ,representative to the ,united ,nations and all ,united ,states representatives in bilateral and multilateral fora to-- 7i7 use the voice1 vote1 and influence of the ,united ,states to ensure that any resolutions relating to the issue of ,middle ,east refugees1 and which include a reference to the required resolution of the ,palestinian refugee issue1 must also include a similarly explicit reference to the resolution of the issue of ,jewish refugees from ,arab countries2 and 7ii7 make clear that the ,united ,states ,government supports the position that1 as an integral part of any comprehensive ,arab-,israeli peace1 the issue of refugees from the ,middle ,east1 ,north ,africa1 and the ,persian ,gulf must be resolved in a manner that includes recognition of the legitimate rights of and losses incurred by all refugees displaced from ,arab countries1 including ,jews1 ,christians1 and other groups4 7#aa7 ,the international definition of a refugee clearly applies to ,jews who fled the persecution of ,arab regimes and ,iran1 where a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race1 religion1 nationality1 membership of a particular social group1 or political opinion1 is outside the country of his nationality1 and is unable to or1 owing to such fear1 is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country 7the #aiea ,convention relating to the ,status of ,refugees74 7#ab7 ,on ,january #bi1 #aieg1 the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,refugees 7,,unhcr71 determined that ,jews fleeing from ,arab countries were refugees who fell within the mandate of the ,,unhcr4 7#ac7 ,dr4 ,e4 ,jahn of the ,office of the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner stated in a ,,unhcr declaration1 on ,july #f1 #aifg3 ,i refer to our recent discussion concerning ,jews from ,middle ,eastern and ,north ,african countries in consequence of recent events4 ,i am now able to inform you that such persons may be considered prima facie within the mandate of this ,office44 7#ad7 ,israel's agreements with ,egypt1 ,jordan1 and the ,palestinians have affirmed that a comprehensive solution to the ,arab-,israeli conflict will require a just solution to the plight of all refugees4 7#ae7 ,israel has adopted multiple government decisions affirming its long-standing position in support of the rights and claims of ,jewish refugees from ,arab countries and ,iran4 7#af7 ,in ,february #bjaj1 the ,israeli ,knesset adopted a law preserving the rights for compensation for ,jewish refugees who originated from ,arab countries and ,iran4 ,according to this law1 the ,israeli government and its prime minister are instructed to raise the issue of compensation for private and communal property during negotiations4 7#ag7 ,the initiative to secure rights and redress for ,jews who were forced to flee ,arab countries and ,iran does not conflict with the right of ,palestinian refugees to claim redress4 7#ah7 ,all countries should be aware of the plight of ,jews and other minority groups displaced from countries in the ,middle ,east1 ,north ,africa1 and the ,persian ,gulf4 7#ai7 ,an international campaign has been proceeding in numerous countries1 including the ,united ,states1 to record the history and legacy of ,jewish refugees from ,arab countries and ,iran4 7#bj7 ,media reports have indicated that the framework that ,secretary of ,state ,john ,kerry has proposed for the negotiations between the ,israelis and ,palestinians includes a proposal for compensation for ,jewish refugees4 #c4 ,statements of policy ,congress makes the followings statements of policy3 7#a7 ,a just1 comprehensive ,arab-,israeli peace cannot be reached without addressing the uprooting of centuries-old ,jewish communities in the ,middle ,east1 ,north ,africa1 and the ,persian ,gulf4 7#b7 ,as a matter of law and equity1 history reveals that there were two large refugee populations--,arabs and ,jews--that were precipitated just before1 during1 and after the ,arab-,israeli ,war in #aidh4 7#c7 ,it would be fundamentally unfair for the ,united ,states to recognize rights for one population--,palestinian refugees--without recognizing equal rights for other refugees from that very same ,middle ,east conflict--former ,jewish1 ,christian and other refugees from ,arab countries and ,iran4 7#d7 ,any ,united ,states ,government statements that include a reference to the required resolution of the ,palestinian refugee issue1 such as at the ,united ,nations or as part of the ,middle ,east ,quartet1 must also include a similarly explicit reference to the resolution of the issue of ,jewish refugees from ,arab countries and ,iran4 #d4 ,report 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,president shall submit to ,congress a report on actions the ,department of ,state and other relevant ,federal departments and agencies have taken relating to the resolution of the issue of ,jewish refugees from ,arab countries and ,iran with respect to the preceding year4 7b7 ,matters ,to be included ,the report required by subsection 7a7 shall include a description of the following3 7#a7 ,actions in bilateral and multilateral fora to address the issue of rights for ,jewish refugees from ,arab countries1 as expressed by the ,house of ,representatives in paragraph 7#b7 of the first section of ,house ,resolution #ahe 7as passed the ,house of ,representatives on ,april #a1 #bjjh7 and described in section #b7aj77;,b7 of this ,act4 7#b7 ,measures to help ensure that the interests of ,jews displaced from ,arab countries and ,iran are considered in any final settlement of the ,middle ,east refugee question that is part of any comprehensive ,arab-,israeli peace4 ,such measures shall include statements on the issue and reports to the ,middle ,east ,quartet4 7#c7 ,efforts to make certain the interests of all refugees displaced as a result of the ,arab-,israeli conflict1 including ,arabs1 ,jews1 ,christians1 and other groups1 are considered in any final settlement of the ,middle ,east refugee question that is part of any comprehensive ,arab-,israeli peace4 7c7 ,form ,the report required under subsection 7a7 shall be submitted in unclassified form1 but may contain a classified annex if necessary4 7d7 ,termination ,the requirement to submit to ,congress the report under subsection 7a7 shall terminate on the date on which the ,president certifies to ,congress that an agreement has been agreed to between the parties to resolve the issues described in paragraphs 7#a71 7#b71 and 7#c7 of subsection 7b74