A (belated) reply from Congressman Price

Here is a response I received from Rep. Price (D-NC) after sending him a letter back in January regarding the Israeli invasion of Gaza. While I would have liked him to take a little more critical stance towards Israel, I think he addressed the situation in a far less biased and real way than I have seen from most US politicians.

Dear Mr.****

Thank you for contacting me about the current conflict in Gaza. I share your concern about this situation and have vocally advocated several immediate steps to achieve a ceasefire and get Israeli-Palestinian long-term peace talks back on track.

The current conflict grows from a standoff between Israel and Hamas that was untenable for citizens on both sides of the dividing line. As you know, Hamas opposed the renewal of a ceasefire that had prevailed for the last several months and then resumed rocket fire against innocent civilians in southern Israel. These acts of terrorism created a situation for Israelis in the area that simply could not be tolerated. At the same time, after agreeing to loosen a months-long, crippling embargo on Gaza in connection with the ceasefire agreement, Israel had failed to live up to its promise, creating a humanitarian situation in Gaza that had become increasingly desperate.

The conflict has only exacerbated suffering for both sides. Certainly, it bears pointing out that Palestinians have borne the brunt of the violence, with a death toll approaching 1,000 and a humanitarian situation that is reportedly keeping nearly one million Gazans cut off from access to fuel and clean water. On the other side of the boundary, Israeli civilians continue to be terrorized by rocket attacks.

An immediate ceasefire is certainly part of the answer, and I have vocally urged the U.S. to advocate for a ceasefire. However, a ceasefire alone will not solve either the current crisis or the long-term Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I have argued for urgent steps to ensure that an end to the fighting addresses the root causes of conflict and paves the way for a sustainable resolution.

Specifically, I have noted that a ceasefire cannot last unless it remediates the underlying causes of the fighting, including by lifting the embargo on Gaza and by halting rocket attacks into Israel. Second, I have urged diplomatic efforts to put Israeli-Palestinian peace talks back on track, including greater involvement of Israel's Arab neighbors and inclusion of Hamas and its constituents in the peace process. Without these steps, a ceasefire will only be a band-aid.

I expressed many of these views in an op-ed I wrote for the Charlotte Observer and Miami Herald on January 6. In addition, Rep. Lois Capps and I led a group of colleagues in sending a letter to President Bush demanding several immediate steps to ease the humanitarian situation in Gaza. I have attached both documents for your review.

It is my deep hope that the incoming Administration will make a just and lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace built upon a two-state solution a top priority. Only through strong American engagement can such a goal be realized. You can be sure I will continue to advocate for U.S. leadership for peace in the Middle East.

Sincerely,

DAVID PRICE

Member of Congress