Representative Maxwell Frost (D-FL) is among the signatories of a recent letter by Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Several members of the United Nations, including France, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, have recognized Palestine as an independent country during recent sessions of the General Assembly. Rep. Khanna's letter states that this recognition will ensure lasting peace.
"More than 150 countries recognize Palestinian statehood. This is a moral issue," Rep. Khanna wrote in the letter. "We cannot be isolated from the rest of the free world. We must stand up for the dignity and rights of the Palestinian people. That is why I am pushing for the US to join in recognizing Palestinian statehood."
The letter suggests that the October 7th, 2023, terror attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Israel, and the Jewish State's subsequent ongoing retaliation, have "made clear that progress toward a just and sustainable resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be deprioritized."
As a result, they argue that disarming and deposing Hamas via cooperation with "the Palestinian people, the Palestinian Authority, our Arab allies, and Israel" and through "organizing free and fair presidential and general elections and implementing fundamental security, political, judicial, and democratic reforms" creates a state that must follow international law and thereby ends the conflict.
Last March, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) urged Hamas to negotiate, saying, "Hamas hasn't agreed to the deal and they need to agree to make sure that we can have that temporary pause, release the hostages, and get humanitarian assistance to innocent Palestinian civilians that are victims of Hamas as well."
Similarly, Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) indicated in August 2024 that Israel cannot be viewed as the agent required to bring peace.
"[Yahya] Sinwar is a single individual who is now both the political and military head of Hamas, who can end this war, end the suffering of the Palestinian people, get a ceasefire, and return the hostages. It is all up to him," Rep. Moskowitz said. "This idea that it is up to Israel is just not accurate. Israel cannot agree to allow Hamas to remain as the government power [of Gaza], and if that is what Sinwar wants, where he remains in charge, then I do not know that we are ever going to get a deal."
