Democrats Are Pissed After Netanyahu’s Palestinian Statehood Comments
Growing numbers of Democratic lawmakers are openly pushing back on the U.S.’s ongoing blanket support for Israel in light of recent comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Netanyahu sparked massive criticism after he declared Thursday that Israel intended to control all of the land in the region, instead of the two-state solution widely backed by the international community. He promised that there would never be a Palestinian state. Instead, Israel would control all territory west of the Jordan River.The response from Democrats was immediate. On Friday, Representative Pramila Jayapal said Netanyahu’s comments “should cause us to reset our relationship of unconditional support to [his] government.”“These are policies that are diametrically opposed to the US’s stated goals,” the chair of the influential Congressional Progressive Caucus said in a video.Also on Friday, a group of 15 Jewish Democratic representatives released a statement that succinctly rejected Netanyahu’s comments. “We strongly disagree with the Prime Minister,” the lawmakers said. “A two-state solution is the path forward.”One of the signatories was the most senior Jewish member of Congress, Representative Jerry Nadler, who has previously slammed his Republican colleagues for using antisemitism as a political tool while in reality doing nothing to “genuinely counter” anti-Jewish hate.Meanwhile, in the Senate, more Democrats have signed on as co-sponsors of Senator Chris Van Hollen’s move to condition U.S. foreign aid on human rights. While the move would apply to all countries, it is a clear signal to Israel.“I think people are at the end of their ropes with the Netanyahu coalition … which includes pretty right-wing extremists,” Van Hollen told Politico. “It’s pretty clear that Netanyahu is listening much more to the extremists in his government than the president of the United States and the Biden administration.” Van Hollen stressed that Biden needs to give up his “quiet diplomacy” and “mixed signals” approach toward Israel.To Netanyahu’s credit, he does support a two-state solution—so long as the second state is on a completely different continent. Netanyahu’s far-right coalition has reportedly been secretly speaking with the Democratic Republic of Congo about resettling thousands of Palestinians in the African nation.On Thursday, a group of 60 House Democrats sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to explicitly state that the U.S. opposes the forced expulsion of Palestinians out of Gaza (otherwise known as ethnic cleansing).“We have serious concerns both about extremist rhetoric from some Israeli officials and about proposals being floated by some in the Israeli government for the transfer of Palestinian civilians out of Gaza,” the letter said.“The United States must remain committed, as you have stated on many occasions, to a future in which all Israelis and Palestinians live in peace with equal rights, dignity, and freedom.”House Democrats are also reportedly going to call for the resignation of White House Middle East adviser Brett McGurk, a controversial figure that many critics see as the mastermind behind policies that allow for ongoing bloodshed in Gaza.Israel’s attack on Gaza has killed more than 24,000 people since October. Israel receives $3.8 billion in security assistance from the U.S. every year.
Growing numbers of Democratic lawmakers are openly pushing back on the U.S.’s ongoing blanket support for Israel in light of recent comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu sparked massive criticism after he declared Thursday that Israel intended to control all of the land in the region, instead of the two-state solution widely backed by the international community. He promised that there would never be a Palestinian state. Instead, Israel would control all territory west of the Jordan River.
The response from Democrats was immediate. On Friday, Representative Pramila Jayapal said Netanyahu’s comments “should cause us to reset our relationship of unconditional support to [his] government.”
“These are policies that are diametrically opposed to the US’s stated goals,” the chair of the influential Congressional Progressive Caucus said in a video.
Also on Friday, a group of 15 Jewish Democratic representatives released a statement that succinctly rejected Netanyahu’s comments. “We strongly disagree with the Prime Minister,” the lawmakers said. “A two-state solution is the path forward.”
One of the signatories was the most senior Jewish member of Congress, Representative Jerry Nadler, who has previously slammed his Republican colleagues for using antisemitism as a political tool while in reality doing nothing to “genuinely counter” anti-Jewish hate.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, more Democrats have signed on as co-sponsors of Senator Chris Van Hollen’s move to condition U.S. foreign aid on human rights. While the move would apply to all countries, it is a clear signal to Israel.
“I think people are at the end of their ropes with the Netanyahu coalition … which includes pretty right-wing extremists,” Van Hollen told Politico. “It’s pretty clear that Netanyahu is listening much more to the extremists in his government than the president of the United States and the Biden administration.”
Van Hollen stressed that Biden needs to give up his “quiet diplomacy” and “mixed signals” approach toward Israel.
To Netanyahu’s credit, he does support a two-state solution—so long as the second state is on a completely different continent. Netanyahu’s far-right coalition has reportedly been secretly speaking with the Democratic Republic of Congo about resettling thousands of Palestinians in the African nation.
On Thursday, a group of 60 House Democrats sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to explicitly state that the U.S. opposes the forced expulsion of Palestinians out of Gaza (otherwise known as ethnic cleansing).
“We have serious concerns both about extremist rhetoric from some Israeli officials and about proposals being floated by some in the Israeli government for the transfer of Palestinian civilians out of Gaza,” the letter said.
“The United States must remain committed, as you have stated on many occasions, to a future in which all Israelis and Palestinians live in peace with equal rights, dignity, and freedom.”
House Democrats are also reportedly going to call for the resignation of White House Middle East adviser Brett McGurk, a controversial figure that many critics see as the mastermind behind policies that allow for ongoing bloodshed in Gaza.
Israel’s attack on Gaza has killed more than 24,000 people since October. Israel receives $3.8 billion in security assistance from the U.S. every year.
