A group of Democratic senators led by Jeff Merkley introduced the first Senate resolution urging the United States to recognize a demilitarized Palestinian state, a symbolic but notable shift in Washington’s debate nearly two years into the Gaza war. “America has a responsibility to lead, and the time to act is now,” Merkley said, arguing recognition would give both peoples “hope” and improve the odds of a negotiated peace. The effort faces long odds in a chamber controlled by Republicans, but it underscores changing political pressure around the conflict.

A First in the Senate

The measure urges recognition of a Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel and comes with a roster of co-sponsors from the Democratic caucus and an allied independent. Supporters frame it as a diplomatic nudge amid a conflict that has devastated Gaza and strained U.S. policy. They also note that a House letter backing recognition is circulating to build cross-chamber momentum, even as procedural realities make near-term passage unlikely.

Politics, Polls and the White House

The resolution lands as public sentiment shifts: a recent national survey found 58% of Americans say every UN member should recognize Palestine as a nation. At the same time, the White House faces allied pressure and domestic divisions; during meetings in London, the U.S. president publicly broke with the British prime minister’s stated intent to move toward recognition, underscoring lingering transatlantic differences over timing and terms.

UN Findings and International Moves

Internationally, a UN Commission of Inquiry reported this week that Israeli authorities committed genocide in Gaza—findings Israel rejects—adding legal and diplomatic gravity to recognition debates. As global leaders converge for the UN General Assembly, several U.S. partners are weighing their own steps on recognition, even as fighting and humanitarian needs persist in Gaza and Hamas fighters remain a declared obstacle to any final settlement framework.