ADL ‘disappointed’ by Republican opposition to two-state solution
After GOP adopts hard-line platform plank, rights groups says vision of a Palestinian state alongside Israel is the position of Israeli, US leaders
The Anti-Defamation League on Wednesday urged the Republican Party to reconsider dropping support for a two-state solution for the Israeli Palestinian conflict from the party platform, but praised the GOP for rejecting boycotts against Israel.
The rights group pointed out in a statement that by not including the two-state solution in the platform, the party was adopting “a position that differs from the stated position of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and prior GOP platforms.”
The ADL comments came the day after the Republican Party’s Platform Committee unanimously agreed to language on Israel that omits references to a two-state solution.
A committee meeting Tuesday in Cleveland voted on the language approved Monday by its national security subcommittee.
“We are disappointed that the platform draft departs from longstanding support of a two-state solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict — and the shared vision of successive American presidents and prime ministers of Israel, including the current leadership in both countries, who believed it was the only viable way to secure Israel as both a Jewish and democratic state.” said ADL director Jonathan A. Greenblatt in a statement.
“We hope the delegates will reconsider and reaffirm this pillar of US policy toward Israel in the final platform,” he added.
In its statement, the ADL said it “welcomed the Republican Party draft platform for affirming the GOP’s unwavering support for Israel’s security and for its unequivocal rejection of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.”
The two-state concept has long been a pillar of both Democratic and Republican policy in the region, and a stated policy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, although not of his government.
For decades, it has also been a mainstay of pro-Israel activism and of the pro-Israel lobby, including its leader, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Yet, in contrast with 2012, when AIPAC reportedly opposed the language, this year it did not offer resistance and praised the platform.
Sponsor of the language, Alan Clemmons, a representative in the South Carolina State House, emphasized that it does not preclude US support for a two-state outcome should Israel choose that path.
The language must be approved by the full Republican National Committee ahead of the convention in Cleveland next week.
The Democrats also included pro-Israel language in their platform, approved over the weekend in Orlando, after delegates loyal to nominee Hillary Clinton rebuffed bids by delegates backing her challenger, Bernie Sanders, to include language critical of Israel for its occupation of the West Bank.
However, the Democratic platform retained the party’s commitment to the two-state solution.
JTA contributed to this report.