Rep. Greg Stanton joined 27 colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden supporting his Administration’s efforts, along with Egypt and Qatar, to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to bring hostages home and provide a pause in the fighting in Gaza. Israel has agreed to the framework of such a pause but Hamas has so far rejected it.
The letter reads in part:
“A temporary pause in fighting will not only help release the hostages and give desperately needed relief to the millions of civilians displaced by this war, it can also open a path to permanently ending the conflict. Pausing the fighting and enabling sufficient delivery of food, water, medicine and other essential supplies will create a space for people to eventually return to their home communities, turning attention to recovery in the region. Ultimately, the terror infrastructure Hamas built, and the devastation wrought by the war Hamas started with its barbaric attack on October 7th, must be replaced with vibrant neighborhoods, quality schools, modern hospitals, and thriving industries providing quality jobs.
As well, the letter calls for a “provisional recovery administration” in Gaza and states that there cannot be a permanent peace as “as long as Hamas, PIJ and other terrorist groups reign with terror in Gaza, or threaten Israel and its people.” It concludes with a belief that eventually a permanent peace is possible, but only through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, with leadership from the United States similar to previous peace agreements signed (Egypt, Jordan and the Abraham Accords).
The full letter can be found HERE and below:
Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
President of the United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Dear President Biden:
We are encouraged by news of progress in negotiations to free hostages and pause the fighting in Gaza, and welcome your cautious optimism that a temporary ceasefire agreement may soon be achieved. We applaud your Administration’s work with Israel, Egypt, Qatar and others to advance progress in these talks and restore hope for a safe, secure and prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians.
We continue to insist that Hamas release all hostages and all bodies of murdered Israelis. We also continue to call on Israel to work with Egypt, the United States and others to facilitate the sustained entry of substantial humanitarian relief into Gaza.
A temporary pause in fighting will not only help release the hostages and give desperately needed relief to the millions of civilians displaced by this war, it can also open a path to permanently ending the conflict. Pausing the fighting and enabling sufficient delivery of food, water, medicine and other essential supplies will create a space for people to eventually return to their home communities, turning attention to recovery in the region. Ultimately, the terror infrastructure Hamas built, and the devastation wrought by the war Hamas started with its barbaric attack on October 7th, must be replaced with vibrant neighborhoods, quality schools, modern hospitals, and thriving industries providing quality jobs.
To achieve this outcome, the United States must work with Palestinians, Israelis, Egyptians and our allies to create a provisional recovery administration to secure Gaza until a permanent government can be established. The people of Gaza and Israel, and across the region, deserve hope for a chance to create a renewed, reimagined future for themselves and their children. Though success is far from easy or certain, hope for a better future will open the door to broader movement towards a permanent peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. It is critical to acknowledge that neither Palestinians nor Israelis will know such peace as long as Hamas, PIJ and other terrorist groups can reign with terror in Gaza or threaten Israel and its people. Nor can peace be achieved without Israel recognizing the legitimacy of Palestinian aspirations for self determination and freedom in the West Bank and Gaza.
We resolutely believe that peace is possible—that a Jewish democratic state of Israel can live within safety and security alongside a viable, democratic Palestinian state. As was true with previous agreements (i.e, Egypt, Jordan and the Abraham Accords), the path to peace requires an agreement directly negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians, supported and reinforced with U.S. leadership. We are fully committed to work with your Administration, Israel and the Palestinians to move toward that dream.