More than a dozen House Democrats have signed a letter urging the Trump administration to recognize a Palestinian state, with at least one of the signed Democrats planning to introduce a pro-statehood resolution, Axios reported on Monday.
California Rep. Ro Khanna introduced the letter last week. Since then, the document has gained 13 signatories, including Indiana Rep. André Carson, one of four Muslim-American members of Congress.
“This tragic moment has highlighted for the world the long overdue need to recognize Palestinian self-determination,” reads the letter penned to President Donald Trump from the House Democrats, according to a copy obtained by Axios.
The introduction of the letter not only follows heightened reports of starvation and famine in Gaza, which have made many politicians uncomfortable, but also the rising international pressure for the US to recognize a Palestinian state.
Khanna noted that nearly 150 countries have recognized a Palestinian state, and that the US should not be “isolated from the rest of the free world,” and that US recognition would be embraced by the Arab League, which passed a plan last week calling for a Palestinian state.
International recognition of a Palestinian state
“We encourage the governments of other countries that have yet to recognize Palestinian statehood, including the United States, to do so as well,” the letter said.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will “recognize the state of Palestine” in a post on X/Twitter in late July. An official statement will be made to the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Following France’s announcement, Canada, Malta, and the United Kingdom have stated that they too will be recognizing a Palestinian state in September. Germany has also announced its intention to recognize a Palestinian state “at the end of negotiations for a two-state solution,” according to Reuters.
US State Secretary Marco Rubio slammed those threatening to recognize or those who have already recognized a Palestinian state, in an interview with Fox News in July, stating that they “can’t even tell you where this Palestinian state is.”
Rubio likened supporting Palestinian statehood to standing with Hamas, continuing on that “that’s how – they don’t care about how many people die in Gaza, and they – they’ve got hostages that they think [are] their shield, and now they’ve got all these countries sort of lining up on their side.”