Quigley Statement on U.S.-Israel Relations

Today, Chicago Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05) cosponsored Representative Delia Ramirez’s (IL-03) Block the Bombs Act and Representative Sean Casten’s (IL-06) Ceasefire Compliance Act. He has released the following statement:

“After witnessing the horrific actions of the Israeli government in Gaza, the West Bank, and now the illegal and ill-conceived war with Iran, I have decided to cosponsor both the Block the Bombs Act and the Ceasefire Compliance Act. It’s time we evolve how we provide military aid to Israel to ensure civilian lives are protected and international laws are applied consistently. We can do this while still ensuring defensive weapons, such as the Iron Dome, are protected. Israel and Palestine’s future must be rooted in a two-state solution, but current U.S. policy is making that future increasingly impossible.

“On October 7, Hamas committed a horrifying series of terrorist attacks on Israel. Hamas must be eradicated, but how Israel achieves that goal matters greatly. Along with many Americans, I have been alarmed by the scale of destruction and violence in Gaza. The Israeli government must be held to the same standard as other allies who receive U.S. security assistance: Humanitarian aid cannot be blocked, and human rights must be protected. To date, U.S. laws on military aid to Israel have not been enforced consistently.

“I have always supported Israel’s right to defend itself, and I will continue to do so. But the Israeli government under Prime Minister Netanyahu has overseen the killing of tens of thousands of civilians, cut off humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, and allowed settler violence and expansion in the West Bank. The increased level of violence in the West Bank and the extent of illegal settlements enabled by Israel’s current leadership are deliberately engineered to put a future two-state solution out of reach. This is not only inconsistent with American laws but also our values and morals.

“The Block the Bombs Act could be strengthened, including by providing clearer incentives for Israel to change its behavior by conditioning aid, rather than withholding it. But the bill is an important step toward rethinking how we provide military aid to Israel. I’m also cosponsoring Representative Casten’s Ceasefire Compliance Act to restrict Israel from using U.S.-origin weapons if they break the terms of the October 2025 ceasefire agreement. It will limit U.S. weapons if Israel restricts humanitarian aid, annexes the West Bank, or fails to combat settler violence against Palestinian civilians.

“I also have serious concerns about the tone of this debate at home. Throughout the past two and a half years, my staff and I have met with organizations and constituents with a broad range of views on this war and how to end it. The vast majority of these meetings were passionate and respectful, allowing for open dialogue and differences of opinion. My discussions with AIPAC were the exception to this rule. The message from AIPAC was clear: You must support Netanyahu’s government, regardless of credible reports of abuses in Gaza and the West Bank. We have also seen AIPAC pour millions of dollars into elections to defeat any candidate who has dared disagree with them, highlighting both their hardline views and the ongoing problem of Super PAC money in campaigns.

“We are at a turning point in the U.S.’s relationship with Israel. I’m cosponsoring the Block the Bombs Act and the Ceasefire Compliance Act for the same reasons that called for the recognition of a Palestinian state and voted for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015. While these actions have been met with frustration by some, I believe they are all important steps towards reaching a two-state solution that allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live freely and securely. We must ensure U.S. military aid to Israel is not used to harm innocents. We must also continue to support defensive aid, like support for the Iron Dome, to protect the Israeli people.

“We must also take the terrifying rise of antisemitism across the US seriously by speaking out when we see it and by providing critical funding to synagogues, mosques, churches, and other houses of worship so that congregants can gather without fear.

“We can no longer write Israel—or any of our allies—a blank check. We must hold Netanyahu accountable to move toward a world where Israelis and Palestinians can coexist peacefully—and where antisemitism and Islamophobia are eliminated. I have stood up for a two-state solution since coming to Congress, and I’m not going to stop now.”