Sam Farr: “while I applaud the fact that H. Con. Res. 152 recognizes and reinforces a two-state solution to end the conflict…”

“while I applaud the fact that H. Con. Res. 152 recognizes and reinforces a two-state solution to end the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, I urge Congress and the Administration to move away from rhetoric and actively engage in steps that will foster lasting peace in the Middle East. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict not only grossly disrupts the lives of Israelis and Palestinians, it destabilizes the entire Middle East and enflames extremism, threatening U.S. national security. U.S. involvement in Iraq has consumed the Administration's attention, but resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict is an integral component for long-term peace in the region. Efforts to bring resolution to this conflict should not be put on the back burner because of the Administration's political fumbling in Iraq. I urge the Administration to reinvigorate its role as a fair and balanced broker and call on the U.S. Congress to recognize that securing peace in the volatile Middle East will require a sustained financial commitment. And, I urge our friends and allies in the region to recognize that peace in the Middle East is in their own countries' best national security interests and to become more actively engaged in the peace process.”