Dear Mr. Killion,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the alarming recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

As you may know, Israeli civilians have been subject to continual rocket fire from Hamas since its disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2006. This year alone, over 900 rockets have been fired from Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip into Israel. I am very concerned about this escalating situation and very much hope it will not progress to a wider ground war. Please be assured that I will continue to monitor this conflict as matters progress.

You may be interested to know that I cosponsored a Senate Resolution (S. Res. 599) expressing the U.S. Senate’s vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. Additionally, this resolution recognizes and supports Israel’s right to act in self-defense to protect its citizens against acts of terrorism. This resolution was passed and agreed to in the Senate on November 15, 2012.

I believe Middle East peace is possible, but it will take hard work. Ultimately, there must be a two state solution. While resolution of the conflict is up to the Israelis and Palestinians, I believe the United States, the international community, and Arab countries have an important role to play. I am looking forward to working with President Obama, his foreign policy team and my Senate colleagues in finding a peaceful solution for the Middle East.

Thank you again for contacting me to share your thoughts on this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator