Senate Democrats Rally Behind Two-State Solution in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Senate Democrats Rally Behind Two-State Solution in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Edited by: Fern Sidman

An overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats in the United States are signaling their support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As was reported by Reuters on Wednesday, the statement, backed by 49 out of 51 members of the Senate Democratic caucus, emphasized the importance of a negotiated resolution that allows Israel and an entity known as “Palestine” to coexist, ensuring Israel’s security as a democratic Jewish state while addressing the aspirations of the Palestinian people for statehood.

Senator Brian Schatz spearheaded the initiative by introducing the measure as an amendment to an upcoming bill focused on providing national security aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, according to the Reuters report. The proposed amendment underscored the need for a two-state solution as the foundation for fostering hope in the region and determining the future of Israel and Palestine.

During a news conference, Senator Schatz emphasized the significance of hope in shaping the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Reuters also reported that he asserted that the two-state solution should be the beacon of hope, providing a framework for coexistence and a path towards resolving longstanding issues.

The amendment explicitly supports a negotiated solution that results in Israeli and Palestinian states living side by side.

The show of support from the Senate Democratic caucus highlights a unified stance on what they perceive as the importance of a two-state solution. As per the report on Reuters, the majority of Democrats in the Senate see this as a viable and necessary path to achieving lasting peace in the turbulent Middle East.

While the vast majority of Senate Democrats rallied behind the amendment, two members chose not to sign onto it. Senator John Fetterman, a supporter of the two-state solution, sought additional language in the amendment, specifically stipulating the destruction of Hamas as a precondition to peace, according to information in the Reuters report. The reasons for Senator Joe Manchin not signing onto the amendment were not immediately available as his office did not respond to requests for comment.

As the amendment progresses alongside the national security aid bill, the support for a two-state solution becomes a significant aspect of U.S. foreign policy discussions.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, responded on Saturday to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement in which he made clear that he opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, as was reported on Sunday on the Israel National News web site.

Netanyahu’s statement was published following a report in CNN which said that Netanyahu told  President Joe Biden in a Friday phone conversation that he is not ruling out the creation of a Palestinian state, the INN report said.

“What is required of the US is to recognize the state of Palestine, and not just talk about the two-state solution. This is the right time to do so,” said Abu Rudeineh, adding, “The occupation government does not care about peace and stability, and still refuses to acknowledge the fact that peace will not be achieved without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital within the 1967 borders.”

According to the INN report,  Abbas’ spokesman further stated that “the decisions of the Security Council, the decisions of the General Assembly and the international consensus led the State of Palestine to become an observer member of the United Nations and to raise the flag of the State of Palestine alongside the countries of the world that recognized it.”

He stressed that “as time passes, the Palestinian people will never give up their legitimate rights, Jerusalem and its holy places, and the establishment of their independent Palestinian state.”

Britain’s Defense Secretary, Grant Shapps, on Sunday said comments from Netanyahu rejecting the prospect of a Palestinian state were “disappointing” and reiterated the UK’s commitment toward a two-state solution,  as was noted in the INN report.

Speaking in an interview with Sky News, Shapps said it was “disappointing to hear that from the Israeli Prime Minister.”

“There isn’t another option. The whole world has agreed that a two-state solution is the best way forward. The British government absolutely backs that as a solution,” Shapps claimed.

He added that a Palestinian state “needs to be sovereign on the Palestinian side” and to also “provide security guarantees on the Israeli side.”

He also argued that there “isn’t another obvious way out” out of the conflict in Gaza.

NBC News reported at the end of November 2023, GOP presidential candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, voiced skepticism about the feasibility of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians during a town hall event. Haley argued that the primary obstacles to a two-state solution were the Palestinians and Iran, alleging that they have historically opposed the idea and aimed to eliminate Israel altogether.

Responding to a voter’s question about the possibility of a two-state solution, Haley asserted that during her tenure at the United Nations, it was consistently the Palestinians and Iran who opposed such a resolution, according to the NBC News report.

She framed their opposition as rooted in a desire to eliminate Israel rather than seeking a peaceful coexistence with a neighboring state.

The former U.N. ambassador pledged support for Israel’s security measures, stating that she would endorse whatever measures Israel deems necessary for its safety, as was noted in the NBC News report. This aligns with her stance of supporting policies that Israel believes will contribute to its security.

In response to a voter’s assertion that Hamas is teaching young children to use guns and promoting hatred toward Jews, Haley concurred with the sentiment. As per the NBC News report, she recounted a visit to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, expressing concerns about anti-Israel sentiments displayed through graffiti and the content of textbooks allegedly used by the agency.

Haley revealed that she had encountered resistance from the State Department bureaucracy when attempting to cease taxpayer dollars going to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. The report added that she highlighted her efforts to halt funding to the organization, a move that has been reversed by the Biden administration.

Nikki Haley’s well founded skepticism about the viability of a two-state solution and her attribution of opposition to the Palestinians and Iran underscores the complexities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.