Van Hollen Presses State Department for Clarity on NSM-20

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement pressing the State Department to provide clarity on the implementation of NSM-20: 

“The Biden Administration must provide clarity on their statements regarding whether the Netanyahu government’s written assurances are ‘credible and reliable’ as required by NSM-20. If the Administration believes the assurances are credible solely on a prospective basis and based on their signing by a high-level official, and if the Administration plans to fully assess overall compliance when the congressional report is due on May 8th, I do not share their confidence but can make some sense of their decision. If, on the other hand, the Administration has made an assessment that the Netanyahu government has been and is currently in compliance with the substantive requirements of NSM-20, their decision is totally detached from the reality on the ground, especially with respect to the required standards for the delivery of humanitarian aid into and within Gaza. Such a decision would wholly undermine the letter and the spirit behind NSM-20 and would begin laying the foundation for a dangerous future precedent. The Administration should immediately clarify its position and let the public know where it stands.”