WASHINGTON DC, Friday, June 25, 2021 (WAFA) – 73 Democrats in the US House of Representatives have signed a letter urging US President Joe Biden to reverse the Trump administration’s “abandonment of longstanding, bipartisan United States policy” towards Palestine, including support for a two-state solution.
The letter, signed by 73 Democrats, calls on the Biden administration to formally withdraw former US President Donald Trump’s proposed Middle East Plan, which he dubbed the “deal of the century”.
It also urges Biden to fulfill his administration’s commitment to reopening a separate US consulate in Jerusalem to serve the Palestinian population.
With a total of eight demands, the lawmakers focused on Trump’s policy changes which they said brought Israelis and Palestinians further away from a two-state agreement, citing the recent upheaval sparked by Israel’s attempts at settlement expansion in occupied East Jerusalem and its bombardment of the Gaza Strip as evidence.
“This outbreak of violence was a painful reminder that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has no military solution and can only be resolved through diplomacy and a negotiated two-state solution that guarantees the civil and political rights, safety, and self-determination of both peoples,” the lawmakers wrote.
“Toward that end, we urge you to reverse the previous administration’s [policies],” they continued.
Other requests included the issuance of State Department and US customs guidance to make it clear that the US considers Israeli settlements to be inconsistent with international law, and the release of a statement of opposition from the White House against the forced expulsion of Palestinian families from their homes in Jerusalem and throughout Palestinian territory.
The US House Democrats also called for an assurance that all government documents would “consistently refer” to the West Bank and Gaza Strip as occupied lands, the release of all previously withheld aid to the Palestinians, and the consistent and proactive issuance of firm public condemnations of human rights violations that undermine the prospects for peace.
