Chris Van Hollen

To the Editor:

Re “The Hard Truth My Party Needs to Face,” by Senator Chris Van Hollen (Opinion guest essay, May 30):

The senator’s argument that Democrats should reconsider their longstanding support for Israel does not acknowledge the security and political realities on the ground today.

Mr. Van Hollen places the blame for the failure of a two-state solution on Israel, while minimizing the actions of Palestinian leaders, who have repeatedly undermined peace efforts. He calls on the United States to use its leverage to pressure Israel to enact a two-state solution. But for decades, Palestinian leaders have repeatedly rejected partition plans and statehood offers, and Hamas continues to reject Israel’s right to exist while embracing terrorism.

The United States should absolutely use its leverage to advance peace. But that leverage should not be focused solely on Israel. President Trump should also use his diplomatic tools to pressure Hamas’s backers, regional actors and Palestinian leaders to reject terrorism, support Hamas’s disarmament and accept Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.

Brian Romick

Washington

The writer is the chief executive of Democratic Majority for Israel.

To the Editor:

Senator Chris Van Hollen’s core premise is summarized in two sentences: “For decades, we have called for a two-state solution, but we’ve failed to use our leverage to make it real. It’s past time that we use that leverage to end the occupation and achieve two states with full political and legal rights for all.”

What most Americans do not realize is that many of us in Israel are begging for the required tough love (leverage, if you like) that only the United States can exercise to achieve these ends. Without it, we will remain in an endless cycle of death and destruction.

One caveat: Maximum American leverage will not be sufficient as long as the present extremist government of Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power. It is driven by ideology, not rationality. Israeli elections, less than half a year away, could change that.

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