Administration's Failed Attempts at Peace May Prove Costly for the Future of Israeli-Palestinian Relations, Say Ros-Lehtinen

Statement

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, made the following statement today as the timetable on the Administration backed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks is set to run out without any agreement. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:

"After nine months, the deadline has come and gone with no peace agreement, and I wish I could say that this is a surprise, but the sad truth is that the Administration pressed and prodded and misread the situation. Abu Mazen has never been a willing and able partner for peace, and it was clear from the start that these negotiations would not yield any positive results. We have already seen Abu Mazen announce his intention to join forces with Hamas and to seek de facto recognition at the UN, and our credibility has eroded greatly while our relationships with our allies have soured. If Abu Mazen continues down his current path, the Administration must not only cut off all funds to the PA, in accordance with my law passed in 2006, but it must also withhold all U.S. taxpayer funds to the UN for any agency that accepts the PA as a member.

"Our Administration has taken its focus away from other more pressing matters in the region such as the Syrian crisis, the weak Iran nuclear deal and Egypt's fragile transition. These tragic missteps by the Administration may yet prove costly for regional stability and our own national security interests."

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