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The delegation will visit Palestinian officials and activists in Ramallah.
By: World Israel News Staff & TPS
A delegation of 24 Democrats from the U.S. House of Representatives is on a visit to Israel this week, organized by AIPAC, to discuss the Iranian threat and judicial reform, among other topics.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and previous House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland are leading the group, which is making its second such trip to the Jewish state during the 118th Congress, according to a press release from Hoyer’s office.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as always, stressed the need to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. At the same time, he touted Israel’s cybersecurity expertise.
”There is a monumental change that is going on in the world. The fundamental change is the geometric pace of technological change which is bound to have fundamental effects on our society, on our economies, on our foreign relations, on our security.
“I’ve been studying this now for the past few months, having studied before that cybersecurity and having made Israel, and I’ve committed to have it become, one of the five cyber powers. AI is much, much, much bigger. The hype is not hype. It’s real,” the prime minister said.
“The future belongs to those who innovate, but the future also belongs to the free societies who cooperate with each other to assure that our people, our citizens, get the benefits of AI and not its curses. We have plenty of both,” he added.
“I think in this regard, and in many other regards, Israel has no better ally than the United States and the United States has no better ally than Israel. We are the innovation society. The most important thing is to produce a credible military threat to Iran. The other thing is use it.
“We don’t want a world in which Iran can threaten New York or Washington or Los Angeles or anything in between with nuclear weapons. Certainly we’re not going to have one in which they could annihilate Israel, which they call a one-bomb country. It’s an abhorrent statement but it tells you where they are.
“We will do everything in our power, with or without this or that agreement, to defend ourselves,” he vowed.
Peace with Saudi Arabia? ‘A quantum leap’
“What has happened is that this peace forged on Iran on one hand and technological and business cooperation with each other exploded,” the prime minister continued. “It’s an economic peace. It already has billions moving in both directions with joint ventures, with tourism and people-to-people, economy-to-economy. And that’s an exciting bottle for peace.
“If we have it with Saudi Arabia, which again is what our governments are working on right now, this will be such a quantum leap. There is a physical infrastructure element that exists in a Saudi-Israeli peace that has been there but has been defied by politics.”
Furthermore, “I wanted to thank you for your position on anti-Semitism, for your position on the mendacious attack on Israel as an apartheid state, for your support for Israel’s security and for supporting the President’s effort to expand the peace. These are hectic times but they’re also full of promise,” Netanyahu said.
The American delegation will also meet with Israeli and Palestinian officials and activists to discuss prospects for a two-state solution, combating terrorism and the development of the Abraham Accords.
“With this trip, House Democrats reaffirm our commitment to the special relationship between the United States and Israel, one anchored in our shared democratic values and mutual geopolitical interests,” Jeffries said.
“We will learn ways Congress can continue strengthening this alliance and enable peace and stability between Israel and its neighbors. As we listen and learn, we reiterate our ironclad commitment to the safety and security of Israel and to the existence of Israel as a prosperous and Jewish, democratic state.”
Jeffries led a delegation of 12 congressional Democrats to Israel in April. The congressman met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during that trip.
Among the topics on the agenda for the delegation were discussions about Palestinian terrorism and Iran’s nuclear capabilities, reflecting the shared concerns of the US and Israel on regional security matters. President Joe Biden’s support for a two-state solution aligns with the goals of the delegation as they engage in high-level meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Reuters noted that the group also plans to meet with activists and stakeholders and visit areas of significance for the region’s security.
“We will learn ways Congress can continue strengthening this alliance and enable peace and stability between Israel and its neighbors. As we listen and learn, we reiterate our ironclad commitment to the safety and security of Israel and to the existence of Israel as a prosperous and Jewish democratic state,” said Jeffries.
“I am pleased to participate in a Congressional delegation to Israel with Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other House Democrats. On my twentieth trip to Israel, I look forward to continuing my work to strengthen our U.S.-Israel relationship and to protect the shared principles of democracy, freedom, and justice that bind our nations together,” said Rep. Hoyer. “Congress has a responsibility to foster further cooperation between America and Israel so that we can overcome grave challenges to international peace and stability. I’ve been proud to play a leading role in the effort to support Jews in Israel and around the world and to ensure Israel stands as a beacon of democracy for all. That work will continue on this delegation and upon my return.”
Judea and Samaria remains a focal point for Palestinians seeking statehood, but progress on U.S.-mediated negotiations with Israel towards this end has been stalled for nearly a decade. As was reported by Reuters, this impasse has only emboldened hardliners on both sides and contributed to a worsening of violence in the region. Palestinian terror attacks on Israelis have escalated in the past year, prompting concern from the international community.
As the delegation engages with leaders and activists, they will undoubtedly address the pressing issue of violence and the need for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
