REP. SCHNEIDER STATEMENT ON GAZA AND NEED TO PURSUE PEACE FOR BOTH PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS
LINCOLNSHIRE, IL – Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Abraham Accords Caucus, released the following statement on the situation in Gaza and apparent disintegration of ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas:
“The situation in Gaza is undeniably dire and Israel must take immediate action to ensure sufficient food gets into the territory and to the people in desperate need. The world must not turn a blind eye to the fact that children are starving because of this war. It is Israel’s responsibility, and within its capacity, to address and resolve the situation.
“Furthermore, this war must end. I had rising hopes that the ceasefire proposal proffered by the United States and Qatar would take effect this week. Israel accepted the offer, Hamas has not. I am disappointed by the assessment that Hamas is not negotiating in good faith but remain hopeful that an agreement is still within reach.
“Let me be absolutely clear: it was Hamas that started this war on October 7, 2023. Hamas still holds 50 people hostages (20 presumed to be living). Hamas has the singular power to at once end this war by releasing the hostages, relinquishing its reign of terror over the people of Gaza, and ending its threats against the people of Israel.
“Ending the war will allow for the needed surge of humanitarian relief into Gaza and open the door for the arduous process of eliminating Hamas’s tunnels, clearing the extensive unexploded bombs littering the land, and removing the rubble of almost two years of fighting.
“Ending the war will empower the people of Gaza—with the support of the people of the United States, our Arab allies in the region, as well as allies in Europe and around the world—to begin the process of recovery and renewal towards a vision of security, prosperity, and peace for their children and the children of the region.
“The United States is and will always be committed to the security of the Jewish, democratic state of Israel and its people. This commitment does not contradict the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for dignity, self-determination, and ultimately a state of their own, living in peace with Israel.
“Real peace for the Palestinians and Israelis cannot be mandated by declarations of foreign nations. It will only come through building bridges of understanding between people, foundations of trust across borders, and robust, incorruptible institutions of governance in Gaza and the West Bank.
“In this context, France’s announcement of pending recognition of a Palestinian state is premature and unhelpful. It rewards Hamas’s terror rather than advancing the necessary steps to achieve peace.
“Finally, Israeli Ministers explicitly calling for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank empowers those who accuse Israel of war crimes and crimes against humanity. These ministers shame their country and the Jewish people and are a threat to Israel’s future security and peace. While Prime Minister Netanyahu has denounced their comments, he must go further. These individuals must have no place or role in Israel’s government.
“I still believe the best path to peace remains through strengthening and expanding the Abraham Accords. My belief was reinforced when I visited the Gulf region last month, and I look forward to carrying this message with me when I visit with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian President Abbas next month.”
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