Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I am a big proponent of Israel, our closest ally in that region. Yet, this administration has stopped at nothing to marginalize that relationship with the State of Israel. When President Trump shuttered the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, it was a shot heard around the world. President Trump's action clarified our diplomatic mission to Israel--the U.S. consulate was inappropriately treated as something close to a de facto embassy to a nonexistent Palestinian State. By getting rid of the consulate, President Trump made it clear that our only diplomatic outreach to that area is and should be the State of Israel. In place of that consulate, the Trump administration established the PAU, and housed its operations within the U.S. Embassy. The PAU reported directly to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel and cannot act independently of that Ambassador. These actions created transparency in our foreign policy where there was previously confusion. You would think that that would be appreciated by both sides here. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. Since taking office, the Biden administration has worked to roll back progress initiated under President Trump by announcing the administration's intent to reopen the consulate general. Joe Biden has since closed the PAU in favor of the so-called Office of Palestinian Affairs, an intended halfway step toward reestablishing their consulate.…”