More than seven months after Hamas’ brutal terrorist attack on innocent Israelis, prospects for security and peace between Israelis and Palestinians feel more precarious than ever. The Netanyahu government has carried out indiscriminate attacks that have killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, a majority of them women and children; famine is ravaging Gaza; and nearly half of the hostages taken by Hamas have not been released. President Joe Biden declared that the United States would cease transfers of some lethal weapons to Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invaded Rafah, and Netanyahu is now testing this policy.
Against this complicated backdrop, the Center for American Progress is honored to welcome Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) of Maryland to discuss the role of the United States in realizing security and peace in the region. Sen. Van Hollen has long championed policies that would deliver a more just and secure future for Israelis and Palestinians. Recently, he helped craft National Security Memorandum 20, which was aimed at ensuring all U.S. weapons transfers to security partners align with American interests and values and comply with U.S. and international law.
Please join Sen. Van Hollen and CAP President and CEO Patrick Gaspard in conversation on the United States’ role in advancing security and achieving lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike.