I come from a long history of Progressive Democrats. My mother was a US Army (not a WAC, due respect) officer in WW-II, one of a very few achieving her rank and recognition. My paternal grandfather was a Union … Worker, Organizer, Business Agent, Office-Holder/President. My sister is a well-known activist attorney, always fighting for the underdog. I’ve been an Activist since I was a teenager wearing a JFK campaign pin and remember having to set up the school PA system to announce his assassination. I lost faith after RFK’s and MLK’s assassinations, having vigorously re-engaged as an adult.

I am, proudly, a Jewish American; the child and grandchild of Eastern European immigrants. I am: second generation on my mother’s side … from Lithuania …; first generation on my father’s side … from Ukraine via Canada. My father spent months in an Army hospital, healing from near-death injuries sustained in Germany during WW-2. I have significant family who have made Aliaya to Israel. And, I am a Progressive Democrat, who has volunteered, consulted, and who continues to serve in senior campaign positions for my Party’s Candidates.

I’m writing, after reading your Op-Ed in the Washington Post. I’ve also been watching your rise since being elected to Congress last November. I am impressed; overall, I’m naturally supportive. I believe you have great intuition and intentions; we probably agree on how America should even pay for some aggressive domestic proposals. But, as you might expect, I’m not in much agreement with your views on Israel and their “blame” for the plight of “Palestinians.”

Over 14 paragraphs, you lay out much, clearly and intelligently.

President Eisenhower, in his 1961 Farewell Address, urged America to “… beware of the Military-Industrial Complex …”, something our nation’s Leaders seem to have never properly embraced. Your comparison of America’s military spending is further exacerbated when we consider how many of the other leading Nation-States atop the list of top Militarist are our Allies.

You appropriately highlight the inconsistencies in foreign policy, that allow repressive regimes to receive America’s strongest support, while many nations working hard to fix internal policies continue to struggle … lack of sufficient support from the US and the Industrialized World being the main cause. And, given the enormous wealth of some of those countries we do so endow, it would seem appropriate that our government invest as much time insisting their standards be improved as it does insuring their fly-over space be available to our military.

We have way too many people right here at home that need help. Not handouts, but outstretched hands of assistance, acceptance and support. Yes, able-bodied adults on Assistance should be working. But, where are the jobs that offer a livable wage? Who’s going to help with child-care? Where’s the decent public transportation? You, most of your Democratic colleagues, a strong majority of Americans, and I see these things; we seem to have a “what’s mine is ours” mentality. Unfortunately, there are still too many with an attitude of … “what’s mine is mine and everyone else wants a hand-out.”

But, we do differ, with regard to Israel. And, here, I want to differentiate between Israel as a Nation born of conflict and East Jerusalem, home to the holiest of sites for: Jews; Christians; and Muslims.

I’d like to address the East Jerusalem issue first. If we can agree that it has equal religious significance to our three faiths, we’ve begun the long walk towards a solution.

I, personally, don’t accept “the Resurrection”, but acknowledge its significance to Christians and to the Temple Mount being the place where Jesus rose to be with God.

I embrace the original peaceful teachings of Mohammad, and have read many passages from the Koran. Again, doubting Resurrection, I still accept the significance of the land being where Mohammad rose to heaven. I also acknowledge its critical importance as a place of worship as well as the spiritual and intrinsic significance of Al-Haram al-Sharif.

In the same vein, though, I stand with all Jews, throughout history, in knowing the space to have been the center of Jewish life throughout Millennia … surviving the destruction of the First Temple by Babylonians in 587 b.c., seeing the area then flourish with the building of a Second Temple, only to see that destroyed by Romans 657 years later — in 70 a.d. I note the relevant dates, in comparison to the fact that Mohammad was not born for more than 500 years after that destruction of our Second Temple.

Beyond the Temple Mount, though, there is so much left to understand. What should Israel actually amount to — geographically? Should it be the British Mandate; the Balfour Declaration? Should it be Internationally-established borders, agreed-upon after World War II? Should it be the reconfigured borders fought out among Jews, Christians and Muslims between 1947 and 1948? Should it include lands annexed by Israel in the middle of the last Century as “spoils-of-war” and for better security after multiple military conflicts? Or, is there to be a future coming-together for all Peoples?

Here’s what I don’t understand. I’ve read much about the Middle East and its importance to so many different civilizations. But some things still stick out. Prior to its settlement as a Jewish Homeland, Israel was little more than nomadic tribes surviving in a desert; on land not different from that of its neighbors — of the time and, in some cases, still: Egypt; Jordan; Lebanon; Saudi Arabia; Syria. Many of those countries, over the past 70 years, have developed: infrastructure; industry; commerce; tourism; and communities … much like Israel. The difference; they are populated by (primarily) Arab peoples. As points of comparison:

Egypt has nearly 50 times the square miles of Israel, but a population density only one-fourth of Israel. Surely there is sufficient space for a Palestinian Homeland among such a wide-open, and predominantly Muslim country.

Jordan is four times larger than Israel, with only a quarter of its population density. Many Arab Israelis were originally from Jordan.

Lebanon, while only half the size of Israel has population density parity with its neighbor.

Syria, nearly nine times larger than Israel also has only a quarter of its population density.

And, Saudi Arabia, with the world’s largest Muslim population and Islam’s two holiest sites, has over 100 times the total square miles of Israel — yet less than 1% of its population density.

I bring up the above-articulated numbers, not as anti-Muslim/Palestinian rhetoric. I show them to ask the simple question … why not re-settle Palestinian “refugees” to one or more of these countries? There seems to be plenty of land for industrious Settlers to turn from Wasteland to Oasis. There doesn’t seem to be the kind of over-crowding seen elsewhere. Saudi Arabia, alone, could finance the re-settlement of every Refugee, whether in its own country or others. World Jewry, in exchange for Peace, would be at the forefront of support. A newly-enlightened United States and its true Allies would be there to help.

Imagine the benefits. No more Arab/Israeli conflict. Peace! Enough land for everyone to spread out and enjoy a life not constantly threatened by War. True religious acceptance. True Homelands … for Jews and Muslims. Thriving economies! Acceptance world-wide.

And, circling back to that Jerusalem / Temple Mount issue … let all come in Peace. Work … across borders / religions / nations … to unearth, restore and save our joined histories for the good of all Mankind. Celebrate each others’ holidays, traditions, histories … individually and together.

So, in closing, I ask that you reconsider the too-often repeated tropes. Peace is currently out-of-reach, not because of Israel’s and/or America’s alleged over-arching positions. It’s out-of-reach because there are factions within the Palestinian/Arab/Muslim world that want it so. They want conflict because they know it breeds worldwide anti-Semitism. They want conflict, along-side a prospering Israel, because it makes them look to be victims.

I’ve taken enough of your time. I hope I have made an impression. I would be thrilled to engage with you further. And, I accept you for everything you are … a powerful, energetic, enigmatic, engaging woman of Islam. Thank you for listening; thank you for your service to America.

My father was an immigrant. All my grandparents were immigrants. And today, I will visit each of their graves and apologize for not having done enough to prevent this slaughter of the American Dream.