Senate Democrats press Biden to recognize 'a nonmilitarized Palestinian state, which includes the West Bank and Gaza'

A group of Democratic senators pressured Joe Biden to recognize a Palestinian state in the Middle East sooner rather than later. In total, 19 members of the Senate drafted a joint letter to the president in which they spoke of "a nonmilitarized Palestinian state, including the West Bank and Gaza, governed by a revitalized and reformed Palestinian Authority."

The letter arrived on the president's desk just days after Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called for a renewal in the government of Israel, understanding that Benjamin Netanyahu is an "obstacle" to peace in the Middle East.

The driving force behind the letter was Tom Carper (D-DE), who wrote on his website that the action would be a "first step for the United States to advance lasting peace in the region."

"The path to lasting peace in the region depends entirely on the two-state solution"

"Given the severity of the current crisis, this moment requires determined U.S. leadership that must move beyond facilitation. 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," write the senators.

Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), joined Carper in signing the letter.

"The diplomatic steps that you and your Administration have taken have been of utmost importance, and we urge you to do even more. We believe it is critical at this moment for the United States to signal our willingness to lead a regional peace initiative that would eventually result in U.S. recognition of a nonmilitarized Palestinian state, as well as Israel's full integration into the region. The road to enduring peace in the region depends entirely on the two-state solution—the establishment of a Palestinian state, existing in concert with a regionally-integrated Israel. Despite decades of U.S. support for this policy, there has been limited success in bringing it to fruition. In order to prevent future deaths and insecurity for both Palestinians and Israelis, the U.S. must continue to take decisive action to bring about a two-state solution once and for all," they continued.

Joe Biden and the two-state solution

John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, recalled in January that the Biden Administration's objective was to convince Israel to choose that path.

"Nothing has changed about President Biden's desire that a two-state solution is really in the best interest of not only the Israeli people but of course, the Palestinian people," he declared.