Copyright haaretz
Dozens of House Democrats, led by Representative Ro Khanna, urged the Trump administration to officially recognize a Palestinian state after several U.S. allies took a similar step. "It has long been acknowledged by much of the international community and previous U.S. administrations of both major political parties that a Palestinian state recognized as a full and equal member of the community of nations is necessary to fulfill the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people and ensure the state of Israel's survival as the democratic homeland of the Jewish people. International support for this outcome ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is enshrined in multiple UN Security Council Resolutions," wrote the 48 lawmakers. "With such an outcome opposed by the current Israeli government and actively undermined by its accelerating annexation campaign in the West Bank–as well as open calls by Israeli ministers to annex much if not all of Gaza–meaningful action is necessary to join the majority of the world in codifying Palestinian statehood and to unlock the potential for a broader regional peace and security arrangement," they added. Khanna's letter, which has been circulating for several weeks, is considered among the most significant historic missives from the Democratic Party concerning the U.S.-Israel relationship. It comes amid unrelated legislation with a similar number of co-sponsors calling to freeze offensive weaponry sales to Israel and other missives taking a previously unimaginable critical posture toward Israel. "More than 150 countries recognize Palestinian statehood. This is a moral issue. We cannot be isolated from the rest of the free world. We must stand up for the dignity and rights of the Palestinian people. That is why I am pushing for the U.S. to join in recognizing Palestinian statehood," said Khanna following the letter's publication.
