More US Democrats urge Trump administration to recognise Palestinian state

Daily News Egypt

2 days ago

More than a dozen Democratic members of the US House of Representatives have signed a letter urging the Trump administration to recognise a Palestinian state, while at least one member plans to introduce a resolution supporting the move, Axios has reported.
Representatives Chellie Pingree, Nydia Velázquez and Jim McGovern were the latest to sign the letter, which is being led by Representative Ro Khanna. They join nine previous signatories: Greg Casar, Lloyd Doggett, Veronica Escobar, Maxwell Frost, Al Green, Jared Huffman, Mark Pocan and Bonnie Watson Coleman.
Representative André Carson, one of three Muslim-American members of Congress, has also signed the letter. According to Axios, the number of Democrats who have now signed is almost triple the number who co-sponsored a 2023 resolution from Rep. Green which affirmed 'the right of the state of Palestine to exist'.
Al Green stated that he intends to re-introduce a resolution in Congress affirming Palestine's right to exist, but still needs to consult with staff on its specific wording.
In their letter, the lawmakers pointed to French President Emmanuel Macron's recent pledge to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations meeting scheduled for September, a move that was heavily criticised by senior Republicans.
'We encourage the governments of other countries that have not yet recognised the state of Palestine, including the United States, to follow suit,' they wrote in the letter.
Pro-Palestinian initiatives
Khanna said he 'just started public outreach last week on the letter and the response has been overwhelming,' noting that more than 147 countries have recognised a Palestinian state. 'We cannot be in isolation from the rest of the free world,' he said.
In a statement, Watson Coleman said: 'If we are to see an end to the war and famine in Gaza and the return of the hostages, the recognition of a Palestinian state, conditioned on the disarmament of Hamas and security guarantees for both Israel and Palestine, must be part of this process.'
Lawmakers told Axios they expect similar pro-Palestinian initiatives in the coming weeks and months in response to the deteriorating conditions in Gaza. 'As you know, there will be initiatives,' one House Democrat said, noting that the situation in the region is 'so horrific you just can't ignore it.'
Trump's plan
The letter comes amid growing international recognition of a Palestinian state, notably from France, Britain and Canada. Even some staunchly pro-Israel Republicans and Democrats in the House have escalated their criticism of Israeli leadership in recent weeks in response to mounting evidence of famine in Gaza.
The humanitarian crisis has highlighted the long-standing need to recognise the Palestinian right to self-determination. However, the United States is unlikely to follow suit, as the Trump administration has positioned the US as a close ally of Israel and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Even so, Trump has appeared to shift his tone in recent days, saying in press remarks that he is working on a plan to 'provide food' in Gaza, after questioning claims by Netanyahu that there was no famine there.
'We want to help people. We want to help them live; we want to feed them. It's something that should have happened a long time ago,' Trump said.
The US President said he had spoken to his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who on Friday visited a US-backed aid distribution site in the Gaza Strip run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), CNN reported.
Operations at GHF sites have seen violence and chaos, including incidents where Israeli forces have opened fire on Palestinians. Israel has killed more than 1,383 Palestinians awaiting aid near food distribution points guarded by its troops.
The United Nations and other humanitarian organisations have refused to work with the GHF, questioning its neutrality and criticising its new distribution system, saying it militarises the delivery of aid and forces Palestinians to be displaced.