Story by Alexander Bolton
Senate
Democrats press Biden to establish two-state solution for Israel,
Palestine© Provided by The Hill
Agroup of 19 Democratic senators led by Sen. Tom Carper
(D-Del.) have sent a letter to President Biden urging his administration to
establish a “bold, public framework” for establishing a two-state solution
recognizing a “nonmilitarized Palestinian state” after the war in Gaza.
The
senators argue that Biden needs to “reignite U.S. leadership on a diplomatic
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
“We
call on you to publicly outline a path for the United States to recognize a
nonmilitarized Palestinian state,” they wrote.
The
letter comes amid mounting Democratic concern over civilian casualties in the
Gazan war and reports that children are suffering from starvation and
malnutrition because humanitarian supplies have been blocked by the fighting.
“Given
the severity of the current crisis, this moment requires determined U.S.
leadership that must move beyond facilitation,” the senators wrote.
“As
such, we request the Biden Administration promptly establish a bold, public
framework outlining the steps necessary for the U.S. to recognize a
nonmilitarized Palestinian state, which includes the West Bank and Gaza, to be
governed by a revitalized and reformed Palestinian Authority,” they said.
Democratic
Sens. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Chris Coons (Del.), Dick
Durbin (Ill.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar
(Minn.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Chris Murphy (Conn.), Brian
Schatz (Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Tina Smith (Minn.), Chris Van Hollen
(Md.), Raphael Warnock (Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Peter Welch (Vt.) and
Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.) also signed the letter.
It
comes a few days after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the
highest-ranking Jewish elected official in American history, delivered a
landmark speech on the Senate floor reaffirming his support for a
two-state solution to achieve peace in Israel and Palestine.
Schumer
also called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an “obstacle to peace”
and urged Israelis to hold new elections.
The
senators who signed the letter to Biden said his administration should put
forth a framework for peace that includes a set of governmental and
institutional reforms to the Palestinian Authority.
They
specifically want to reform the Palestinian Authority’s education, judicial and
security systems, and combat corruption and incitement to violence in
Palestinian territories.
They
say that any Palestinian Authority that is to govern the West Bank and Gaza
must reaffirm its recognition of the state of Israel and adopt a mandate that
Palestinian government ministers and senior officials accept the principle of
two states and renounce Hamas and all terrorist activity.
The
senators also called on Biden to “lead and push the Israeli government” to
limit violence against Palestinians by Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
They
wrote that they “have been particularly disappointed by Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s refusal to engage on a path to a Palestinian state” and
urged the administration to press the Israeli government to end home
demolitions and evictions of Palestinians from their property in the West Bank.
They
want an end to Israeli settlement planning and construction in the West Bank, a
release of customs revenues to the Palestinian Authority and the
reactivation of work permits for Palestinians to enter Israel from the West
Bank.
“By
providing a roadmap for U.S. recognition of a Palestinian state, the United
States can set a path to finally realizing a two-state solution and
reinvigorate conversations towards a comprehensive regional peace plan,” the
senators wrote, asserting it would be in the best interest of both Palestinians
and “our ally Israel.”
