Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) at an Event in Portland Last Year..

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) is reinforcing her call for a permanent bilateral ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war, urging the State Department to affirm the US strong opposition to the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and harshly criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he reportedly rejected President Biden’s push for Palestinian sovereignty.

“Israel and Hamas are no closer to peace then when I called for a ceasefire months ago.  President Benjamin Netanyahus reported recent statements badly undermine the only path for lasting peace:  a two-state solution.  These statements call into question his governmet’s ability to end this war and achieve peace,” said the Congresswoman who called for a bilaeral permanent ceasefire last November.

Pingree joined 56 House colleagues in sending a January 18, 2024  letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken urging the State Department to affirm the US strong opposition to the forced and permanent displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and to support an increase in humanitarian aid to the region.  Since the brutal Hamas attack on October 7, over 1.8 milion Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict.

The lawmakers also asked Secretary Blinken for clarity around President Biden’s supplemental humanitarian and security funding request transmitted to Congress on October 20, which requested funding to “address potential needs of Gazans fleeing to neighboring countries.”

“The US must ensure that there is no question that Palestinian civilians who wish to remain in the Gaza Strip have the right to do so,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter to Secretary of State Blinken.