CHICAGO: Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley on Wednesday called on the US to recognize a Palestinian state, and expressed concern over Israel’s killing of Palestinian Americans and the lack of media reporting on their deaths.
Their sacrifices and what critics call Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza are fueling a new push for peace, the Democrat — elected in 2009 — told Arab News.
A dozen House Democrats signed a draft letter on Monday calling for US recognition of Palestinian statehood.
A member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and co-chair of the Ukraine Caucus, Quigley said he is “deeply horrified” by the reports and images coming out of Gaza.
“How war is comported is as important as the reasons you fight the war, and at some point you just have to disagree with your friends and tell them, ‘This has to stop,’” he said, adding that the conflict and the killing of Palestinian Americans are impacting US public opinion.
“A lot of my colleagues … want to support Israel, a critical ally … but they’re struggling and agonized,” Quigley said, adding that the rhetoric from Israel’s government and the deaths in Gaza have “dramatically” changed how Americans view the conflict.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “emboldened” extremists, Quigley said, adding that Israel’s government includes “the farthest right, evil, dark people who are talking about things that can only be described as ethnic cleansing.”
Quigley continued: “One of the greatest values in being viewed as a moderate is that when I say something, at this point, hopefully it can carry more weight. That’s what I’m hoping.” He said the conflict is a “wake-up call” for everyone, including Israelis.
Quigley called for the immediate shutting down of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is backed by Israel and the US, and has come under increased criticism for the killing of Palestinians at many of its distribution sites.
GHF operations “violate fundamental humanitarian principles,” and the foundation “has proven incapable of safely delivering the humanitarian aid necessary to prevent mass starvation,” he said.
“All future aid provided by the US to Israel must face stringent oversight and review,” he added, denouncing the “serious escalation” in violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, where hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in the past two years, including five US citizens.
“Israeli settler encroachment in the West Bank should come to an immediate end, violations and violence must be prosecuted fully by the Israeli government, and the US government should sanction all perpetrators of this instability,” Quigley said.
“Israelis and Palestinians will never be secure if the Israeli government continues to prevent the Palestinian people from having basic rights and dignity, with a state of their own, alongside Israel.”
