Sen. Kaine calls for President Trump to recognize a Palestinian state

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia joined Democratic colleagues Friday in calling for President Donald Trump to recognize a Palestinian state through a first-of-its-kind resolution in the U.S. Senate.

The pronouncement comes as the current war in Gaza approaches its third year and a death toll of 70,000, over 65,000 of which have been Palestinians, according to media reports.

The new resolution – led by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and cosponsored by Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Peter Welch, D-Vt., Tina Smith, D-Minn., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii – calls for U.S. recognition of a demilitarized Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel in accordance with international law and the 1947 United Nations two-state solution, which the U.S. supported.

“After nearly 80 years, the world has only kept one of those two promises, and the lack of progress toward Palestinian autonomy has been a source of continuing tension in the region,” Kaine said in a news release. “Since July 2024, when the Israeli Knesset voted to deny a path to Palestinian statehood and made clear Israel would not accept Palestinian autonomy, I have believed the U.S. should no longer condition recognition on Israeli assent but rather on Palestinian willingness to live in peace with its neighbors.

“We must redouble our efforts to work toward a future where Israelis and Palestinians alike can live in peace, security, and dignity,” Kaine added.

The Democratic senator and former Virginia governor said urgent U.S. action is the best chance for "a durable peace."

Kaine has consistently called for a ceasefire in the conflict and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas.

Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street, a nonprofit lobbying group that promotes Jewish democracy and an end to the conflict with a two-state solution, applauded the proposal.

“Senator Merkley’s resolution is a vital step toward long-overdue U.S. recognition of a Palestinian state, and we urge every Senator to support it,” Ben-Ami said in the release. “Recognition sends a clear message that extremists on both sides – those seeking permanent occupation and annexation, or those seeking the destruction of Israel – cannot dictate the future.”

The full resolution can be found here.