Palestinian Statehood

Floor Speech

Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the Palestinian Authority's bid for statehood at the United Nations. Supporting a Palestinian state is the right thing to do, and now is the right time to do it. It is wholly consistent with American values. We have supported people's aspirations for freedom and democracy around the world, and we should not treat the Palestinian people differently.

There is global support for a Palestinian state. More people around the world support a Palestinian state than oppose it, including Americans. Seventy percent of Israelis would accept a Palestinian state if the U.N. approved it. Last year, President Obama said he hoped to see a Palestinian state admitted to the United Nations.

Previously, Palestinians sought statehood through violence and terrorism, which the world rightly rejected. Now that they are nonviolently following the internationally recognized process to gain statehood, why we are discouraging them?

A Palestinian state is in the national interests of everyone. It would help stabilize the Middle East. It would help end Israel's diplomatic isolation. It would deal a devastating blow to al Qaeda and Hamas, which refuse to recognize Israel. Recognizing Palestine would reaffirm Israel's own status.

Source