WASHINGTON, DC — Today, J Street welcomes a powerful congressional letter signed by 146 representatives that delivers clear condemnation of President Trump’s abhorrent, unworkable plan to “take over” Gaza and force out two million Palestinians who call the land home. The letter, led by Representatives Sean Casten and Brad Sherman, was signed by over two-thirds of House Democrats, including a majority of Jewish members.
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami:
“This is a clear rebuke of Trump’s toxic ‘concept of a plan’ for Gaza – one which has already destabilized a delicate ceasefire, put hostages in more danger, and gifted a recruiting tool to terror groups. The timing is particularly important now, as Trump seeks to strong-arm partners like Egypt and Jordan into operationalizing this morally repugnant plan.
With hostages’ lives in the balance and millions of civilians threatened by a return to war, the administration has to be laser focused on shoring up the hostage deal that’s fracturing minute by minute rather than drawing up plans for Mar-a-Lago outposts in Gaza.
The fact that this letter is signed by the overwhelming majority of Democrats, including a majority of the Jewish Congressional Caucus, is deeply meaningful. While it might be addressed to Donald Trump, the letter sends a powerful message to partner countries and pro-peace Israelis that there is major dissent in the United States about this proposal.
It reflects the fact that most Jewish and pro-Israel Americans see Trump’s plan as a grotesque violation of our values and a pathway to more war and misery. We’re deeply concerned that extremists on both sides will use it as a pretext to bring down the ceasefire deal.
As the letter makes clear, doubling down on this proposal threatens to derail the opportunity President Trump has to hammer out a lasting, comprehensive regional peace deal that delivers safety and regional integration to Israelis and the freedom of statehood to Palestinians.
If the President reverses course and seeks to lock in progress on the ceasefire, prevent a return to war and works to land a longer-term regional deal, he can expect broad and enthusiastic bipartisan support.”
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami took to Substack to thank the 146 Members of Congress for strongly rejecting Trump's horrific vision for Gaza. As Jeremy writes, "The fact that this letter gathered such broad support so quickly, including a majority of the Jewish Congressional Caucus, is deeply meaningful."