Israel Policy Forum enthusiastically welcomes the letter signed by 25 former Israeli senior security and defense officials and sent this morning to the four members of Congress who sponsored House Resolution 246.
The former Israeli officials’ expression of appreciation that an “overwhelming, bipartisan majority of Members of Congress” affirmed “strong support for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states” is particularly important at this time, when some in the U.S. and in Israel actively oppose this outcome.
It is worth underscoring these former officials’ declaration that “a negotiated two-state agreement is essential to preserve the kind of Israel we dedicated our lives to fighting for on all fronts: a secure, thriving democracy with a solid Jewish majority for generations.” The signers, who comprise retired generals, former heads of the Mossad and Shin Bet (internal security), and former advisors to Prime Minister Netanyahu, have impeccable and unquestionable security credentials; their letter affirms the wisdom of U.S. policy hewing to a two-state agenda.
Furthermore, we applaud the letter’s closing: “We look forward to future bipartisan congressional initiatives that explicitly identify annexation as a threat to Israel’s security and Jewish and democratic future.” Israel Policy Forum will continue to inform U.S. political and policy leaders about the dangers of West Bank annexation, in accordance with the consensus of these Israeli security experts.
Finally, we appreciate the fact that these former Israeli officials emphasized bipartisan support for Israel, which has long been a bedrock principle of American policy toward Israel and remains a critical component of Israel’s security.
