The Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023 were brutal and unacceptable, and Israel has every right to defend itself against savage terrorism. That said, it’s critical that Israel and the entire world remember that the enemy in this particular conflict is Islamic extremists, not the innocent Palestinians whom Hamas uses as pawns in its atrocious war games. At the end of the day, there is zero doubt that there is no greater security measure for everyone involved than peace.

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On March 25, 2024, after five months of brutal fighting and a subsequent catastrophic humanitarian crisis, the U.N. Security Council finally passed U.N. Security Council Resolution 2728, demanding an unconditional halt to fighting in Gaza. Fourteen nations, including China and Russia, supported the resolution. After shamefully vetoing several previous attempts, the U.S. abstained from the vote, allowing the cease-fire to pass. The resolution also demanded the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” held in Gaza.

 

The United States must join the call for the immediate implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2728, as well as U.N. Security Council Resolution 2720, which underscores the immediate need for humanitarian supplies and assistance. To that end, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency and other relevant organizations must be granted full access into Gaza through all crossing points.

 

Furthermore, the United States must make crystal clear its opposition to an Israeli offensive on Rafah. It is impossible for any sort of military action in Rafah — where roughly 1.5 million Palestinian civilians have sought refuge — to not have a severe and significant humanitarian impact, including the deaths of innocent men, women, and children which is a blatant violation of international law.

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This relentless conflict has been violent, oppressive, frustrating, and futile for decades.  Escalating death, damage and destruction have proven that the price of not having some version of peace is devastating for both Israelis and Palestinians. This conflict needs to reach some sort of resolution…and the United States has the leverage necessary to bring pressure to bear to make significant progress toward that goal.

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The Congressional Research Service reports that “Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II…in 2016, the U.S. and Israeli governments signed their third 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on military aid, covering FY2019 to FY2028. Under the terms of the MOU, the United States pledged to provide — subject to congressional appropriation — $38 billion in military aid ($33 billion in Foreign Military Financing grants plus $5 billion in missile defense appropriations) to Israel. This MOU followed a previous $30 billion 10-year agreement, which ran through FY2018.”

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Through the years, there have been many back-and-forth negotiations between the parties, but we believe the Clinton Parameters, offered to the Israelis and Palestinians by President Bill Clinton on December 23, 2000, are a solid place to resume talks.

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Although this deal got closer than many of the others, there is no question there are tricky issues involved — the Palestinian right of return to Israel, concerns about lack of land contiguity, Israel’s continued settlement building in the West Bank, and sovereignty over the Temple Mount remain major points of contention, just to name a few.  But our hope is that these parameters can serve as a starting point for further negotiations.

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As President Clinton said at the time, “I believe this is the outline of a fair and lasting agreement.  It gives the Palestinian people the ability to determine their future on their own land, a sovereign and viable state recognized by the international community, al-Quds as its capital, sovereignty over the Haram, and new lives for the refugees.  It gives the people of Israel a genuine end to the conflict, real security, the preservation of sacred religious ties, the incorporation of 80 percent of the settlers into Israel, and the largest Jewish Jerusalem in history, recognized by all as your capital.”

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The time has come to resolve this destructive, heartbreaking situation once and for all.