Our Letter to Constituents on the War Between Israel and Hamas (12/8/23)

Thousands of constituents have weighed in on the war between Israel and Hamas, and we absolutely listen and absorb the feedback.

Everyone gets a letter, which we wanted to share.

Folks write in or call in to push for peace, support for Israel, support for Palestinians, getting the hostages home, especially the children, a ceasefire, pauses to the conflict, and humanitarian assistance.

We try and respond to the specific feedback, but everyone gets a version of the following:

Thank you for reaching out, and please continue to do so. We’re here to listen and serve you.

Like you, I want this war to end – and I believe it will end soon.

I absolutely understand the call for another ceasefire, and I continue to push for negotiations that will lead to all hostages being freed and all necessary humanitarian aid being delivered to Gaza. I’ve been in frequent contact with the Qatari Ambassador, the Israeli Ambassador, and the White House, and I will continue to advocate for these critical priorities.

Progress was made through the temporary ceasefire. There are still 137 hostages, including 7 Americans, that must be returned to their loved ones, but 110 women and children are back home safely. Over 2,700 of truckloads of much-needed humanitarian aid were delivered to Gaza during the ceasefire, and that must be allowed to continue. Other allies like Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have opened field hospitals to treat Gazans, and Israel is working to repair destroyed water lines and telecommunication sites.

I understand the calls for a permanent ceasefire. It is impossible to watch this tragic loss of innocent life in Gaza, especially the children, and not want this to end.

The question we all must wrestle with is: what about Hamas? Can or should Israel allow for the return of the status quo, with Hamas running Gaza and continuing to kill Jews and Palestinians? Hamas has said it will “repeat the October 7 attack time and time again until Israel is annihilated … we’ll sacrifice as many Palestinian lives as it takes.”

Hamas must go. They should surrender, and we need international pressure on Hamas and those who fund them to achieve this – for the sake of Palestinians in Gaza who deserve freedom and self-determination and for Israelis who deserve to be secure.

I firmly believe in a two-state solution, and we can make this happen. With a legitimate governing authority in Gaza and the West Bank, and with support from Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the U.S., Palestinians will be in a position to achieve both statehood and a lasting peace.

As I’ve said before, Israel must follow international law and be as targeted and surgical as possible in going after Hamas. They must minimize the loss of civilian lives, and the President has made this clear. I will continue to advocate for this publicly and privately with Qatar, Israel, and the White House.

Again, I want this war to end, and I do believe it will end soon. I am also committed to taking a leadership role in the incredibly important post-conflict work to rebuild Gaza and to support the Palestinians in Gaza in establishing a legitimate governing authority that will bring about freedom and peace. The same will be true for the West Bank. This will be a top priority for me as your member of Congress. Both Israelis and Palesntinans deserve peace, freedom, and security. We can help them achieve this as the conflict comes to an end.

Every single day, I think about two images from this war that will be forever etched in my conscience: the blood stained walls above a toddler’s bed in Israel, and a terrified toddler stuck in the rubble in Gaza. For those of us who care deeply about others, and both Israelis and Palestinians, the loss of life is staggering and awful. War is awful, and this one is no different.

In my conversations and meetings with Jewish and Muslim friends and constituents, there are disagreements, of course, but there is also a shared pain and fear. Holding onto our shared humanity and experiences in moments like these is so important.

The pain and trauma from the loss of life is real, disorienting, and for some, even debilitating at times. We are also scared not just for those in Israel and in Gaza, but for our own safety with the staggering rise of antisemitism, islamophobia, and violence against Jews and Muslims.

It’s very important for us to find that shared space at a time like this, where we lean into our common humanity and let ourselves feel one another’s pain – and to ensure that we see one another and hear one another.

Many of my Jewish and Muslim friends have told me the same thing: we don’t feel seen and we don’t feel heard. I want to be sure you know that, with us, you are being heard, and I hope you continue to reach out.

As someone who has spent a lot of time in Israel, the Gaza Envelope, and the West Bank, and as a determined supporter of Israel, a two-state solution, and the liberation of Palestinians from terror and corruption, I am fully committed to being as helpful, pragmatic, and caring as this moment requires of us.

The world has come together before to stand up to tyranny and terror, and we will again. It doesn’t always feel like it, but we are all in this together.

Appreciate you.