Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following joint statement regarding President Abbas’ comments before the United Nations:
“I am deeply concerned by President Abbas’s comments at the UN today. The only path to peace is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and President Abbas’s provocative statement about rejecting the Oslo Accords does not help us move closer to that goal. The only sustainable solution to this conflict is two states – Israel and a future Palestinian state – sitting side by side in peace and security. That is the only way to a lasting peace, and we will only achieve that through negotiations, not unilateral actions or provocative statements at the UN. Israel is our closest ally and the only democracy in the Middle East. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure that Israel has the support it needs from the United States.”