Introductory Notes:

The continuing war initiated by Hamas on October 7 has been a disaster for Israeli and Palestinian civilians. Hamas’ brutality, its murder of babies, pregnant women, young adults and seniors resulting on that day in the death of 1200 Israelis (mostly civilians constituting the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust), the gang rape of countless Jewish women and men by Hamas terrorists, and the kidnapping of 240 Israelis and international workers all constitute war crimes. Israel’s justifiable military response, however, has not fulfilled the Netanyahu government’s war aims of destroying Hamas’ capacity to repeat its war crimes against Israeli/Jewish lives nor has this war successfully returned all the Israeli hostages to their families and homes. At the time of this writing, still there are 130 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza of which it is estimated about 30 were murdered on October 7 or since, and that women hostages are still being sexually assaulted by Hamas captors.

Though any statistics cited by Hamas is wholly suspect, huge numbers of Palestinian civilians have died in the fighting including thousands of women and children. Hamas has used its own people as human shields against Israel, and Hamas’ fighters, military command centers and stockpiles have been placed deliberately in and under Gazan apartment buildings, homes, schools, mosques, community centers and hospitals, also constituting war crimes. Israel’s massive military response has no doubt cause the death of countless innocent civilians and I fear that Israel’s use of thousands of 2000-pound “dumb bombs” in populated areas seeking to kill Hamas commanders and destroying underground tunnels and weapons depots have wantonly caused untold death and suffering.

I feel it is necessary to repeat all this, which ought to be well-known by now by any reasonable observer, because the horrors of October 7 have either been forgotten or moved into many people’s rear-view mirrors. All this said, this war must be brought to a conclusion as soon as possible to stop the killing, injury and suffering of Palestinian civilians, the death of far too many Israeli soldiers and the return of the hostages.

I signed the following letter produced by J Street because it represents a compassionate, pragmatic and clear statement about what will be necessary after this war concludes in addressing long-term inequities in the West Bank and Gaza and the need for peace, justice and security for both Israel and the Palestinian people.

It should be obvious to everyone by now that Hamas is not a partner for peace with Israel. It is a murderous genocidal terrorist organization based upon an uncompromising extremist Islamic ideology fueled by hatred that seeks the destruction of the State of Israel and the murder of all Jews. And it should be obvious to everyone that Hamas has not only caused manifold suffering to the Palestinian people but represents a dictatorial intolerant anti-western philosophy that disregards the dignity and divinity of every human being. For there ever to be peace between Israel and the Palestinian people, Hamas must be pushed to the sidelines, and a reconstituted Palestinian Authority must represent the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank.

This letter insists not only on an ceasefire but a return of all hostages to their families and homes. I ask my readers to read the letter carefully and appreciate the nuance contained therein as well as the clarity about what can be achieved if there is ever to be peace, justice and security over the long-term for both our two peoples. It needs to be said also that for Israel to be secure, the Palestinian people’s national aspirations for sovereignty, justice, security and peace also must be realized. Therefore, to be pro-Israel means also to be pro-Palestinian.

One more thing – Israel and the Palestinians need a strong advocate to help them negotiate together an end to their conflict. The United States must be fully engaged along with the Arab League, the EU and even the UN, despite the UN’s historic bias against Israel.

I hope President Biden will speak boldly this Thursday night about what the United States intends to do to help Israel and the Palestinians find peace with justice and security together.

Dear President Biden,

I hope you are well aware of the deep gratitude most Jewish Americans and friends of Israel feel toward you for the support you demonstrated to the state and people of Israel following the horrific October 7 Hamas attack.

You have shown amazing empathy for the victims, the hostages and their families, as well as for the trauma still being experienced by Israelis and their friends across the world.

You have also stated clearly that the government of Israel must pursue its defense of the country’s borders and people, the release of the hostages and pursuit of the perpetrators of the attack within the bounds of international law. You have urged the Israeli government to live up to standards that liberal democracies must embrace not just as a matter of law, but of morality.

It is deeply painful for many of us who care about Israel to acknowledge that the Netanyahu government has failed to uphold those moral – and possibly even legal – standards in its conduct of the war.

On Thursday, I hope you will find a way to demonstrate deep, personal concern both for the Israeli people and for the people of Gaza. I know, as you do, that the suffering of the Palestinian people and the humanitarian crisis of unimaginable proportions they are enduring is not simply due to the Israeli offensive but that Hamas bears much responsibility for the suffering as its leaders and fighters hide beneath and among the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

Israelis, Palestinians and others in the region need more than empathy, though. They need your leadership. They look to the United States as the “indispensable player” – and those of good will hoping for a more secure and peaceful future are looking to you for a vision and a plan to get there.

To that end, I hope you will make six key points on Thursday:

1. There must be an immediate negotiated ceasefire that stops the fighting for a considerable period, frees the remaining hostages and surges humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.
2. You will do all in your power to ensure that sufficient humanitarian assistance – food, fuel, water, medicine, shelter – reaches Gazans in the coming days, with or without a ceasefire. Acknowledge that you personally understand that lives hang in the balance and that you are committed to ensuring the necessary help. In tandem, you will, I know, reiterate your deep, personal commitment to the security of the people of Israel not only from attacks by Hamas, but Hezbollah, the Houthis and other Iran-backed groups in the region.
3. Recognize that nearly 57 years of Israeli occupation must end and declare your support for the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state. You can express your hope to be the American President who formally recognizes the state of Palestine and supports its admission to the United Nations. You can make clear that – for this to happen – very serious reforms are needed from the Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization, and you should list out some of the more prominent conditions, including reform of the prisoner payments program, addressing corruption, shoring up democracy and more.
4. Reiterate Secretary of State Blinken’s recent statement that Israeli settlements in the territory it occupies are inconsistent with international law and that the United States will take meaningful actions to crack down on settler violence and ensure that Israel stops expanding settlements in areas that will be part of a Palestinian state and ends practices such as home demolitions that undermine the possibility of ending the conflict.
5. Outline how eventual statehood for Palestine is only one piece of a bold vision for the future of the region – one in which Israel has meaningful security, guaranteed by fully normalized relations with all its neighbors. Make clear that you intend in the coming months to pursue normalization for Israel with Saudi Arabia and other nations in the Arab and Muslim world, provided Israel agrees to a pathway to a Palestinian state. You should be the first President to formally mention and support the Arab Peace Initiative in a State of the Union.
6. Finally, make clear to the Israeli and Palestinian people that the future is in their hands. There is a path to security, dignity and prosperity for both peoples, and there is also the path of never-ending conflict and bloodshed. The US will rally friends around the world to support the two peoples if they choose a future of peace and mutual recognition. You should make it equally clear that those not willing to sign on to that vision and respect the rule of law will no longer have our unquestioning support.

Mr. President, a balanced speech along these lines that speaks directly to the people involved – over the heads of leaders who have been obstacles to peace in the past – is not only the right policy for the United States, it meets the political moment. Your supporters and the majority of the American people want peace and security for both peoples and a regional security architecture that protects our national interests.

Please know that – in our movement – you have a partner in taking the bold steps needed to end the current nightmare and build meaningful opportunity out of this horrendous disaster.