U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has issued a statement following her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The meeting also included Leader Schumer and other senior Senate Democrats and Republicans.
In her statement, Shaheen said, “I was pleased to have a frank and productive conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, alongside Leader Schumer and other senior Senate Democrats and Republicans. We all reiterated the United States’ ironclad support for the security of Israel and its citizens and reaffirmed the long-standing bond between our people.”
The discussion focused on several key issues including the ceasefire in Gaza. “We discussed the importance of the full implementation of all phases of the ceasefire in Gaza and the need for Hamas to hold up its end of the deal by continuing to release all hostages, including the Americans who remain, both alive and deceased,” Shaheen stated.
Shaheen emphasized Israel’s long-term security concerns in relation to stability in the West Bank. She mentioned, “I also stressed to Prime Minister Netanyahu the importance to Israel’s long-term security of maintaining stability in the West Bank and the need to work with our partners in the region toward a negotiated two-state outcome with a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in equal measures of peace, security and mutual recognition.”
The strategic interests shared by both nations were also highlighted during their discussions about Lebanon and Syria. Shaheen commented, “Finally, I pressed that it is in both the U.S. and Israel’s strategic interest to seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity in Lebanon and Syria to permanently marginalize Iran, deny openings to Russia and China, and build a more stable and prosperous region free from terrorism.”
Senator Shaheen concluded by stressing that achieving such regional goals would require continued constructive engagement.
