Washington, D.C. - This week, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, calling on them to abandon plans to annex parts of the West Bank and to take measures to promote a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
“I am concerned that stated plans to move forward with unilateral annexation of the West Bank will not only eliminate the possibility of a two-state solution, but will result in erosion of regional and international arrangements that guarantee Israel’s safety and security,” wrote Senator Casey. “I write to urge you not to move forward with plans to begin annexation on July 1, and to seek a path forward that will lay the groundwork for constructive dialogue toward a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.”
The letter echoes a statement signed by 220 former Israeli Defense Force (IDF), Mossad and Israeli Security Agency officials warning that unilateral annexation would set off a “chain reaction” that would “jeopardize the peace treaty and security cooperation with Jordan, coordination with the Palestinian security forces, and the very Jewish character of the State”. The officers urged Israel’s Knesset to “refrain from taking such irresponsible measures.”
Read the letter here.
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