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♪ ♪ ♪ >> the house is in recess until tuesday, some republicans attend a party retreat in west virginia. senate in session working on■, nomination, including u.s. ambassador to haiti, majority leader chuck schumer took to the floor calling for a two-state solution for israel and palestine. amid war between israel and hamas. this is about 45 minutes. >> mr. president, i rise to speak today about what i believeli can and should be the path forward to secure mutual peace and lasting prosperity for israelis and palestinians. i■yself, i also speak for so many mainstream jewish americans, a silent majority, w nuance

views. schumer. which derives from hebrew word for guast report is to america -- responsibility to america and new york as first jewish majority leader of u.s. senate, and highest ranking jewish elected official in america, i feel very my responsibility as a guardian of the people of throughout jewish history there have ban many guardians, this is the position in which i findmyself f

great difficulty. i feel an obligation to speak and to acting speak as a member of a community of jewish-americans that i know very well, they are my family, my fri my constituents, many o are democrats. and many are deeply concerned about the pursuit of justicen new york and the globe. call to quote repair the driven jews around the globe to do what is right, we love israel in our bones. what israel has men to generation with a living memory of holocaust is impossible to musure, the flowers of. jewish people in the desert, after two thousand years ofing, and w,

represents one of the causes of my life, i remember how hard it was to achieve that dream, i remember clutching my thans transistor radio t ear, if vens of last few months made anything clear. it is israel is vicious enemiesd people in world will excuse and support their aims to kill and export will never undee the grave threats israel faces and has or will i ever under estimate the f oppression this jewish p

endured. it is why i speak today about what i view are most pressing■d israel's long-term peace, and prosperity. after 5 months of suffering on both sides of this conflict, our thinking must turn to how we achieve lasting peace, and endure and ensure prosperity security for both the jewish people and palestinian people inchieve that lasting peace we so long for, israel must make some significant course corrections, which i speech. but first, let's not forget how we arrived at this critical moment. when hamas 7 was brutal, beyond imagine nation, i have sat with families of those kills in the assault. i have sn and

heard stories of innocents murdered and raped in heartless keuhl cruelty, many of my family members were killedy holocaust, october 7 and shameless response to support that terrorist attack by some in america and the globe, have a awakened deepest today, over 130 hostagesle, remain captive in gaza, i am anguished that so hostages still trapped deep in hamas' tunnel. i pray for them. and for their families. who with tenacious advocacy.

many of them are americans. some are my constituents in new york. who we learned this week was killed october 7 while serving near the gazaaz hamas still holds his body. his father gave me this pin. which i am wearing in remembraese of americans judy weinstein. i have sat with many of the, hah them, each day that their lovedat ones don't come home carries enough anguish and grief to lifetime, i am working in every way i can to support biden administration as negotiation continue to free every one of the hostages. i have worked with anyone at table to continue to do everything possible to get deal. hamas has been given a deal

already. they should say yes. it is no time to waste. my heart also breaks at loss of so many civilian lives in gaza. i amm anguished that israel's war■p campaign has killed so many innocent palestinians, i know my fellow jewish americans feel the same anguish. gaza is experiencing a humanitarian cat catastrophe, entire families wiped out, whole neighborhooded reduced to rubble, mass displacement should not let complexity stop us, palestinian c deserve to suffer for the sins of hamas, and israel has a moral obligation to do better. the united states has a i believe the united states

must provide robust humanitarian aid a to gaza and pressure the israelishrough to people who needit it. jewish people, throughout this century have empathize with those who suffered and are well. every single life loss, whether palestinian or israelis is a strategy horrifies is our sense that israel is falling short. of t a opposing jewish values we hold dear, we must be better than our enemies lestwe become them. as i have said from begin of this war, how it exercises its right must prioritize protection of

civil yap casualties when identifying military target, i have called on israeli government to do so. it also must be said, israel is by no means only one responsibility for the civilian told to blame only israel for the deaths of palestinians, is unfair one sided■o manipulative. it ignores hamas' role in this conflict. hamas hasnowingly invited civilian toll during will war, the goal on october 7 was to protke tough response by israel by killing as many jews as possible a and vicious manner as possible. since then, hamas has heartlessly hidden behind palestinians. byrs turning reports to

commands. centers it -- hospitals to command hamas soldiers use innocent gazans as human shields, the leaders of hamas, many of whom luxury far y from poverty of gaza do not care about the palestinians. forhe whom they claim to -- it bothers me most media outlets covering this war, and many protesters it placed blame for civilian casualties entirely on israel. all too often in media andever d that hamas has gone to great lens to make themselves inseparable from population of gaza. by using them at human -- shields.

too many newspapers and lead to inaccurate perception of harsh reality of the war, i believe stories that mention loss life should note has hamas uses civilians at human shields, it almost never happens, i believe that every innocent palestinian men shouldal dehamas for their central role in blood. of jewish and nonjewish americans alike who support the state of israel. given that hamas launched their attack on october 7 to provokic raid israel.

given that hamas wanted israelis and arabs to be at each other's throats, tensioneds on both sides have intensified. now, as a result of those, inflamed tensions. people on all sides of this war are turning away from the two-state solution,g israele minister netanyahu who said out loud what many rejecting idf palestinian state hoodde and sovereignty. as highest ranking jewish elected official in our government, and defender of israel, i rise today to say this is a grave mistake. for israel, and palestinianians the region and the world. only real solution to this decadeo old conflict is

negotiated two-state solution, i did militarize palestinian state, living side by side with israel and equal measures of peace, security, prosperity, dignity and mutual recognition. jews and palestinians have long historic claims to this land. contrary to unfounded absurd and offensive claims by some that jewish people are colonizers in their have livered in homeland for overly years. foran centuries, at passover, jews at every corner of globeve prayed, next year, in jerusalem. jewish home land in israel is no 20th centurym= our historic home, a home for people oppressed for

centuries, now palestinians too have lived on the lafn land for generations and form the their own culture, identity,, idea, there is no such thing ras as palestinian is inaccurate, and onhelpful, ot solution to this is one in which each people can flourish in their own state, side by side, for a two state solution to work over the long-term, it has to include real and meaningful mpromises. by■s both sides. for example too many israelis who want a two-state solution don'te how -s that a virtual impossiblebility, and too many palestinians who want a two acknowledge how their

insistence of right of return it a fatal impediment to progress, they are impeding the peace process, others on left who view skeptica that will never happen. as a result, they reject two statet solution in f■6avore stae palestinians andhe israelis woulds supposedly live in peacey side, i condition that idealism -- i can understand. why went key all all live side by side and house by house in peace. i count at at least two reasons, why it would not work and unacceptable to most jewish people, this

combine state could take a turn jewish-israelis in peril, it would be a majority palpalestinian, in past some have voted to empower groups like hamas, which standing to eradicate jewish people. in this single state democracy could cost safety. if extremist took kohl control this is no abstract fear, thousands of years of jewish history show when things go badly the people of country in which jews live, all too convenient scapegoats there is no guarantee it would not

happen again in a single israeli-palestinia state. would be a bridge too far to accept. more important, the jewish people havee a right state. it is so troubling to me that manyeam, seem acknowledge and celebrate the right to state hood for every group but the jews, if ae driving gold of anticolonial movement, then why are only jews seemingly penalize z for this asspiration, jews have a human right to their own straight. just like as any people do. palestinians included. as iav said, there are also some israelis who oppose a twot might tolerate or be a harbor for further

terrorism. i understand the reality a single state controlled by israel, which they advocate guarantees certain war forever. and further isolation of jewish community in world, in -- the future would be jeopardized. they say definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, if to not only maintain status quo, then what can we hat hamas and allies would lay down their arms, it would mean constant war, and israel moving closer to a single state, would rupture its relationship with the

rest of the world, including the unitedd states, s for israel has declined world wide in last few months, this trend will get worse, if the israeli follow its current pack, i possibility of two statesis renew, they remain so angry by what hamas did on october 7. the brutality. viciousness, sexual assault, imprison am and abuse of hundreds of hostages, and i am0.■$ sympathetic to this point of view, i am upset, angry, we'll'l never forget what happened october 7 we carry this in our hearts we have to think ahead, the long-term, how we can ensure that something like october 7 never happens again. we cannot let anger or trauma determine our actions

or cloud our two states solution may feel daunting, now. but i believe it is the only realistic and know sustain ablen base was security and prosperity and fundamental human rigachieve that reality is that things must change. rit there are four major obstacles in the way of two states. until they are removed from the will never be peace in israel, gaza and the west bank, they are hamas. and tolerate their evil ways. radical right wing israelis. i in government and society. palestinian authority, president, mahmoud abbas.

israeli prime minister i will explain each in detail. ...: n past decades it undermined any hope for every turn. it was hamas who began its vicious campaign of suicide bombings against innocent israelis to derai nation's peace process in oslo. peace process in oslo. assessment more political representatives in gaza in 2007. it is hamas who held gaza under undemocratic rules for close to two decades. and it is hamas who targeted those brave gazans who spoken out against its actions tried to bridge a divide between israelis and+■÷ pal jewishav americans israelis alie have been appalled and hurt at

efforts to rebrand hamas which is states as a terrorist organization. noble resistance of freedom fighters. attempts to excuse the horrific against both israelis and palestinians are morally repugnant. a permanent cease-fire effectivw hamas to regroup and launch further attacks on israeli civilians. there could never be a two state solution if hamas has any significant power. however, a temporary cease-fire su as president biden has proposed would allow for the return of hostages in humanitarian relief for suffering palestinians is quite different. support. any proposal w that leaves hamas with meaningful power is unacceptable to me and most isra. so, it goes without saying hamas cannot have any rolls in future gaza if we are to achieveas peay

of palestinians who support hamas those who demonstrate ever forms of extremism even if they are not gazans who ventured into territory october 7 the people on the west bank and flooded the cold-blooded killing of mothers gand children. this is appalling behavior may fall short of terrorism and has no place in a peaceful future for israel and palestinians. and it ought to be denounced by the policy in public and their leaders w b the cycle of revenge. the second major obstacle to peace is radical right wt and society. the worse example of this radicalism or finance minister administers national security. i have in the past openly called

for the subjugation and forced displacement of all palestinians in the west bank. in the current crisis he has used inflammatory rhetoric and calls for punitiv palestinian fe west bank from the olive harvest used bread to the transfer of funds to the palestinian the provision of any humanitarian assistance to gaza. going so far as to stop the agreed-upon shipments o ministers know better he was a young man who barred from the israeli military service for his emist views. last year end a move only intended to antagonize the muslim population he visited the temple mount with his supporters as a braze s force towards palestinians. during his current conflict has facilitated the mass distribution of guns to far right settlers exacerbating instability, fueled violence. there is ao nastiness to what

they believed and how they use their positions of authority and influence and eagerness to inflame and provoke. that is profoundly but self-destructive. in my conversations with israeli leaders i have urged them to do more. to clamp down on the unacceptable vigilant vigilante violence in the west. bank've supported the bidadministrationo impose consequences for extremist settler violence. the unfortunate reality is thisy these ministers. as long as they hold their■0 noe progress will be made. welt not equivalent, extremist palestinians and extremist israelis seek the same goal. te

mediterranean t sea they aim to push the other from the land. to kill all palestinians outright, but they are clear and their desire to displace them from their homes and replace that with israeli apparent as ls these to hold their positions of power, peace will be difficult if not impossi achieve. the third major obstacle to peace is the president of the palestinian authority who is beholden to his narrow political interests to the detriment of both the west ban and gaza. over the years he has abated the democratic process declining told future elections for over a decade and failing to emp leade. despite his long tenure leading the palestinian authority, he has achieved few of hisew

the palestinian authority remains corrupt and continues to incite instability to the murder kfpa palestinians are no more prosperous no safer know freer than they were when he first took power. as aas lost the trust of the palestinian people. furthermore he is a terrible role model andpiri l participatd in outright holocaust denial. attempting to justify at nazi actions. this embmitism extended to his refusal for weeks to condemn the loss of israeli civilian life on octobe. should he palestinian people could have no assurance of a palestinian state would be able to ensure their safety or prosperity. nor can if any b be free of corruption. were there to be any hope of peace in the future, he must

stepown on be replaced by a new generation of palestinian leaders who will work towards attaining peace with the jewish state. otherwise the w01est bank will continue to suffer and hamas for some similarly extreme organizationma will continue to maintain a foothold in the palestinian authority under new leadership must undertake a reform process that we vitalize that can tor a palestinian state with the trust of the the fourth major obstacle to peace is israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu who has all too frequently bowed to the extremists like these ministers. and the settlers in the west bank. i have known i minister to long. what we have vehemently disagreed on many occasions, i will always respect is

extraordiny bravery for isrl on the battlefield as a younger man. i believe in his heart, he has the highest priority is the security of. israel. however, i also believe prime minister netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take the precedents over the best interest of israel. he has put himself in coalition with far right extremists like a minute these ministers and as a result he has been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in gaza is pushing support for israel worldwide to store closed. survive if it becomes a pariah. prime minister netanyahu has also weakened israel'sand morals attempts to co-opt the judiciary. he has shown zero interest in doing the courageous and visionary work requiredo peace.

even before this present conflicts. as a lifelong supporter of israel it has become clear to that netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of israel after october 7. the world has changed radically since then. the israeli people are being stifled right now by a governing vision that is stuck in the past.dy nobody expects a prime minister netanyahu to do the things that must be done the cycle of violence. to preserve israel's credibility on the world stage and to work toward a two state solution. a few were to disavow these ministers and kicked them out of his governing coalition, thatwop forward. bute regrettably there's no reason to believe prime minister netanyahu would do that he will notny disavow the ministers ther

calls for israelis to drive palestinians out of gaza and the west bank. he won'ty commit to a military s protecting civilian life. he will not engage responsibly in discussions about a day after gaza and eight and a longer-tem pathway to peace. palestinians o support and tolerate their evil ways radical right wing israelib these arehe four obstacles to peace. if we fail to overcome them than israel and the west bank and state of affairs for the last 75 years. these are not the same in their

culpability in the present state ofve affairs arguing over whichs the worse stymies our ability forhe peace. many different groups many different groups have a responsibility to see it through. tinian people must reject hamas and the extremism in their midst. they know better than anyone how hamas is use them as pawns how hamas is tortured and punished palestinians to seek a piece it. quite frankly i've not heard enough of palestinian leaders and other extreme elements of society i employ them to speak up now. even when it may be hardest because that is the only ty to f those lost by transcending the enmity and bloodshed. working for a better future. once hamas is deprived of power the palestinians would freer to choose a government

they want and deserve. with the prospect of a real two state solution on the table and for the firstim genuine stated for the palestinian people i believe there be far more likely to support mainstream■+ committed to peace. the same is true for the israeli people call me an optimist of the israeli public is presented with a path to a two state solution offers a chance at lasting peace in coalitions most of the mainstream will moderate their views and supported. part of that moderation is rejecting right wing zealous bike ministers and t in the west bank. i do not represent the public under prime minister watch they have far too much influence. all sides must reject from river the prospects are real.

beyond the israeli and palestinian people and the leaders there'ss others bear serious responsibility to workrd toward the two state solution. without them it cannot succeed. middle easte p arabia egypt, jordan other mainstream states canen have immense power to influence the palestinians. worked with the united states they must responsibly deploy their clout their money and eitheir diplomacy. to a new demilitarized palestinian state rejects terror and violence. they have the leverage to do this with the support of t people want to what any other people want. peace, security, i believe that there is enough strength in the arab world to get president to step down and support a gradual succession

plan responsible palestinian leaders to take his place. hamasof our countries to help hr rebuildsomething better and more sustainable. it may take somee time to identify suchdee resources of the arab world back in them i believe these leaders can and willt emerge.+ knowing they have support. the outlines of the deal between saudi arabia and israel that were reported before october 7 still make a great dealll of can be the catalyst for the creation of the viable and other arab nations should continue to pursue normalization with israel this should be the foundation of a grand bargain in the middle east■÷■,■@ that will finally mat meaningful palestinian statehood a reality. the united states, the world■>

with our allies to bring power to bear on the situation. we can be a partner to the grand bargain in the middle east bite deepening our relationship with the saudi's and other arab nations to induce them to make y guide palestinians to a more peaceful future. on the■')@srae s government should demand israel conduct itself with the future two state solution andmi minds. position of unequivocably supporting the actions of us and really government that included bigots reject the idea of a state. israel is a democracy. five months into this cic it is clear that israelis need to take stock of the situation and asked, must we change course? at this critical juncture i

believe a new election is the only way to allow for apen decis about the future of israel. at the time when so many israelis have lost theiridence d direction of their governments. i also believe the majority of the israeli public will recognize the need fort electioe the war starts to wind down would giveo israelis an opportunity to express their vision for the postwar future. of course the united states cannot dictate the outcome election. nor should we try. that is for the israeli public to decide. i public understands better than anybody that israel cannot hope to succeed as a pariah opposed by the rest of the world.

as a democracy israel's right to choose its own leaders we should let the chips fall where theyhe y the important thing is, israelis are given a choice for the need to be a fresh debate october 7.future of israel after in my opinion that's best accomplished by holding an election. if prime minister's ct coalition remains in power after the war begins ton, and continues to pursue dangerous and inflammatory policies that test existing qs standards for assistance than the united states will have no choice but to play a more active role in shaping policyic by using our leverage to change the present course. the united states and bound wih israel is unbreakable but if extremists continue to unduly influence israeli policy the

administration should use the tool at his disposal to ensure our support for israel is aligned with our broader of achieving long-term peace and stability in the region. i believe this would make a likely. two state solution more now, i know there are many on both sides of question how we can discuss piece at a moment so many gazans are displaced from their homes and struggling to meet their most basic needs. many are still burying and mourning their dead. entire families have been wiped out. can israel everyone knows someone who was killed on october 7. so many israes around the world have no respect for the belief and rage unleashed by hamas vicious attack.rg so is the real hope for peace and a two state solution? in the face of this atrocity who co even the most hopeful among us for hardening

their hearts prefer giving up on the possibility of peace for giving into thek my inspirationc example of leaders who have come before us and work for peace in the face of extreme circumstances. some of israel's greatest warriors and security experts have been staunch advocates for peace because they understand better than anybody essential to israel's security. david van gogh lien, and othersç all seek peace with the palestinians on the palestinian side we do not have to look very efar back to see a model of responsible leadership. the former prime minister of the palestinian authority who was clear in his condemnation of violence against theaelis. and for the arab leaders of today, and they find inspiration in king hussein of jordan. and n to seek peace with israel.

before october 7, things are moving in the right direction. the u■'nited arab of emirates ad saudi arabia both were on the path to normalization with israel. with condition so greatly palestinian people. many believe that iran motivated hamas to disrupt this process and back since october 7. but recent talks between arab and american leaders suggest the desire is stronger than ever to find a path forward. arab leaders could not lose their stomachs for peace now this critical inflection point.e path to normalization with israel and the u.s. should use all of its power to influence and bring and make them cooperate constructively. if my speaking out today has any effect it will probably have things.

but if this conflict is to be resolved we need comparable palestinian and arab leaders to also speak responsibly to their people about the path forward for peace. now is the leadership. after israelis and palestinians have experienced so much horror and loss of life, to not have something meaningful come out o. history will look back on what we do here. are were together to have the courage to make an all-out push to p bring about peace once and forr all? to bring to this conflictartin . called the fierce urgency of now. to end the cycles of tragedy and of pain. i have always said when horrific things happen some turn inwards and let their grief consume them. while others light a candle and

turn their grief into power. darkness.able to see hope in the in scripture we read about how god created the world from infinite void. but out of the greatest darkness can come the greatesteaht. i hope and pray that from the brutal "slaying goliath" of israelis by hamas and civilian toll in gaza a two state solution with jews and palestinians can live in peace will prevail. i know i am notlone i this prayer. there are right now palestinians in gaza some of whom are still pulling dead family members in the rubble who are defyingas and calling for pathway to peace. there are right now some october 7nd revenge.