Members of US Congress reaffirm opposition to unilateral Israeli annexation of West Bank territory
“As strong supporters of Israel and the United States-Israel relationship, we are deeply concerned by reports that the coalition government being formed in Israel intends to move forward with unilateral annexation of West Bank territory,”
Amidst reports of a new coalition government in Israel which agreed to move forward with unilateral annexation of West Bank territory, 11 members of the United States Congress yesterday issued a statement reaffirming opposition to Israeli annexation of occupied Palestinian territory.
“As strong supporters of Israel and the United States-Israel relationship, we are deeply concerned by reports that the coalition government being formed in Israel intends to move forward with unilateral annexation of West Bank territory,” said the US lawmakers. “This runs counter to decades of bipartisan U.S. foreign policy and to the will of the House of Representatives as recently expressed in H.Res.326, which opposes unilateral annexation and explicitly warns against the dangers of such an effort for peace in the region and Israel’s security.”
They added, “Amidst the current global health pandemic and financial crisis, we urge all parties involved in the formation of a new government not to create an additional crisis by agreeing to move forward with unilateral annexation, the effects of which could yield additional catastrophic consequences for all parties in the region and beyond.”
The US lawmakers expressed support to a return to the two-state solution framework for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
“At this sensitive and critical time, we support a return to a two-state framework and urge all parties to refrain from commitments or actions, such as unilateral annexation, that undermine the possibility of serious, good faith, bilateral negotiations, which still represent the surest path to a durable peace.”
H.Res.326, which reaffirmed the longstanding support of the House for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, passed the House in December 2019.
The lawmakers included representatives Alan Lowenthal (CA), David Price (NC), Jan Schakowsky (IL), Gerald Connolly (VA), Peter Welch (VT), John Yarmuth (KY), Barbara Lee (CA), Andy Levin (MI), Earl Blumenauer (OR), Deb Haaland (NM), and Lloyd Doggett (TX).
