Rep. Gary Peters' Statement on U.S. - Israel Relationship

Statement

His Excellency Binyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, addressed a joint meeting of Congress today attended by Representative Gary Peters. Following the address, Rep. Peters released this statement:

"I thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for making this important trip to the United States during a time of both great opportunity and great danger in the Middle East. He made a compelling case for why the U.S.-Israel alliance is so important for both our nations, and also for why Israel is "what is right with the Middle East.' Under Israel's sovereignty, people of all religions and faiths have been free to visit and worship in Jerusalem. Our shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and pluralism is why the United States and Israel are such close friends.

"There has also been much discussion this past week about the contours of a possible final peace agreement. I believe that a return to the pre-1967 lines would be indefensible, arbitrary, and unacceptable and I do not support it. I appreciate that the President said on Sunday that there will have to be a different border than the pre-1967 line, and that the Prime Minister affirmed his agreement with this principle today. This is critical, because any final border must be negotiated by the parties themselves, and must take into account realities on the ground to ensure that Israel continues to be a Jewish state, that the final border is defensible by Israel, and as the Prime Minister stated today, that any future Palestinian state is viable. Israel's security is sacrosanct and the United States must stand by Israel to ensure it.

"With the recent alliance between Hamas and Fatah, Israel faces extreme hardships in pursuing peace, but I applaud the Prime Minister for repeating his commitment to the peace process today despite the obstacles Israel faces. Israel needs a willing partner to come to the table to negotiate with Israel without preconditions. The alliance between Hamas and Fatah presents an unacceptable partner for peace while Hamas seeks to wipe Israel off the map, so I will no longer support any funding to the Palestinians as long as the terrorist organization Hamas is a part of the government."

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