RELEASE: REP. KHANNA LEADS HISTORIC LETTER CALLING FOR THE US RECOGNITION OF A PALESTINIAN STATE

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17) was joined by 47 of his colleagues in sending the following letter to President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the United States to officially recognize a Palestinian state. The letter follows the official recognition of a Palestinian state by France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia at the United Nations General Assembly this week.

"More than 150 countries recognize Palestinian statehood. This is a moral issue. We cannot be isolated from the rest of the free world. We must stand up for the dignity and rights of the Palestinian people. That is why I am pushing for the US to join in recognizing Palestinian statehood," said Rep. Ro Khanna.

For the full text of the letter click here or see below:

Dear President Trump and Secretary Rubio,

We are writing to request that the United States officially recognize a Palestinian state, as this tragic moment has highlighted for the world the long overdue need to recognize Palestinian self-determination.

As we remain focused on the urgent priority of taking concrete steps to achieve a lasting ceasefire and end the man-made mass starvation, forced displacement and Hamas' holding of hostages in Gaza, we must also recognize the need to meaningfully address the decades-long conflict and injustice underlying these 22 months of horrific war. The Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and the subsequent Israeli assault made clear that progress toward a just and sustainable resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be deprioritized. Just as the lives of Palestinians must be immediately protected, so too must their rights as a people and nation urgently be acknowledged and upheld.

We therefore welcome French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that, in addition to continuing to press for a ceasefire, release of the hostages and a massive humanitarian aid effort in Gaza, France will officially recognize Palestinian statehood. We encourage the governments of other countries that have yet to recognize Palestinian statehood, including the United States, to do so as well.

It has long been acknowledged by much of the international community and previous U.S. administrations of both major political parties that a Palestinian state recognized as a full and equal member of the community of nations is necessary to fulfill the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people and ensure the state of Israel's survival as the democratic homeland of the Jewish people. International support for this outcome ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is enshrined in multiple UN Security Council Resolutions. With such an outcome opposed by the current Israeli government and actively undermined by its accelerating annexation campaign in the West Bank-as well as open calls by Israeli ministers to annex much if not all of Gaza-meaningful action is necessary to join the majority of the world in codifying Palestinian statehood and to unlock the potential for a broader regional peace and security arrangement.

As French President Macron made clear, a viable Palestinian state will need to fully recognize Israel and adopt a framework to guarantee Israel's security, including the disarmament of and relinquishing of power by Hamas in Gaza in order to be broadly embraced by the community of nations. We will need to work closely with the Palestinian people, the Palestinian Authority, our Arab allies, and Israel to make this feasible. This includes organizing free and fair presidential and general elections and implementing fundamental security, political, judicial, and democratic reforms.

We believe recognizing Palestinian statehood and obligating Palestinian leaders to abide by the international law binding on states and their governments will make that far more achievable and sustainable than decades of statelessness and repression have.

Sincerely,

This letter was signed by Representatives Becca Balint; Donald Beyer; André Carson; Greg Casar; Joaquin Castro; Judy Chu; Danny Davis; Madeleine Dean; Diana DeGette; Chris Deluzio; Mark DeSaulnier; Maxine Dexter; Lloyd Doggett; Veronica Escobar; Dwight Evans; Bill Foster; Maxwell Frost; John Garamendi; Jesús García; Sylvia Garcia; Robert Garcia; Al Green; Val Hoyle; Jared Huffman; Jonathan Jackson; Sara Jacobs; Pramila Jayapal; Henry Johnson; Marcy Kaptur; Ro Khanna; Zoe Lofgren; Stephen Lynch; Betty McCollum; James McGovern; Chellie Pingree; Mark Pocan; Mike Quigley; Emily Randall; Mary Gay Scanlon; Janice Schakowsky; Bennie Thompson; Mike Thompson; Jill Tokuda; Paul Tonko; Nydia Velázquez; Maxine Waters; Bonnie Watson Coleman.

This letter has been endorsed by the following organizations: American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Center for International Policy Advocacy, DAWN, Doctors Against Genocide, Emgage Action, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Indivisible, J Street, Just Foreign Policy, MADRE, MoveOn, MPower Change Action Fund, Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), New Jewish Narrative, Partners for Progressive Israel, Quincy Institute, and Win Without War.

###