The progressive Democrat says his advocacy for a permanent ceasefire is inspired by Nelson Mandela, telling theGrio, “We can learn from his vision.”
U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., is amongst a minority group of congressional members who continue to advocate for Palestinian rights amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
“The human suffering is incomprehensible … there are reports of children dying from hunger, dehydration, and lack of medicine,” Khanna told theGrio.
The progressive lawmaker said a permanent ceasefire and the release of Hamas hostages “should be the very clear policy of the United States.”
To date, more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, including mostly women and children, since the Middle East conflict began on Oct. 7.
Khanna told theGrio that he was inspired by the late anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela to speak up for Palestinians.
In June 1990, Mandela sat down with ABC anchor Ted Koppel during a town hall at City College in Harlem. There, he spoke about the struggles between Israel and Palestine.
“Mandela had a vision for two states. He talks about the need for a secure Israel and the Jewish people standing side by side with the city of Palestine,” Khanna recollected. “We can learn from his vision.”
Recently, Congressman Khanna spoke at St. Luke AME Church in Harlem, located a short distance from City College, where he condemned the Israeli-led attacks against Palestinians.
“I spoke about the need to end violence in Gaza, for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages,” he recalled.
The California representative is not the only member of the U.S. House of Representatives who has demanded a ceasefire in Gaza.
For months, Reps. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., Cori Bush, D-Mo., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and a few other progressive House members held several press conferences at the U.S. Capitol, demanding the Biden-Harris administration advocate for a permanent ceasefire and intervene on behalf of Palestinians to prevent further bloodshed.
Just recently, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y, who is Jewish, took to the Senate floor to criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. He called for Israel to hold new elections to replace Netanyahu.
Khanna said Schumer’s floor speech was a “bold step in calling out” Netanyahu.
“The senator understands that our coalition of Black, brown, progressive, and young Jewish voters are demanding that the suffering of Palestinian innocent women and children end,” said Khanna.
Although lawmakers in both the House and Senate are listening to concerns from their constituents and advocating for Palestinian rights, some younger voters are uneasy with President Joe Biden’s response to the war in Gaza.
According to an NBC poll, younger voters have expressed their disdain for President Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict, which could have an impact on the 2024 presidential election.
In recent months, lawmakers, activists, and community leaders have called on the Biden-Harris administration to advocate for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. However, those calls have fallen on deaf ears.
President Biden has only called for a temporary ceasefire, and earlier this month, Vice President Kamala Harris called for a six-week-long ceasefire while speaking in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the anniversary of Bloody Sunday.
As it relates to the election, Khanna said for those concerned about the rights of Palestinians, President Biden is the better choice than his Republican challenger, former President Donald Trump.
“The stakes of getting a Palestinian state side by side with an Israeli state and not having more Palestinian civilians die is high,” he said.
Trump will not advocate on behalf of Palestinians or “stand up to Netanyahu,” argued Khanna.
If Biden is reelected, the congressman said there is potential to “shift the administration’s policy” on the Israel-Hamas conflict by organizing and continuing to call for a permanent ceasefire. In the meantime, Khanna encourages young voters to continue raising awareness about the crises plaguing Gaza and to hold their leaders accountable.
“This next generation will shape a more just world, where human rights are respected here in the U.S. and abroad,” said Khanna.
“It’s not just about Gaza,” he noted. “It’s about our sense of moral purpose and what America’s role in the world should be.”
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