Rep. Ann Wagner, U.S. Representative for Missouri's 2nd District | Ballotpedia
Rep. Ann Wagner, U.S. Representative for Missouri's 2nd District | Ballotpedia
On September 24, 2024, the Co-Chairs of the Abraham Accords Caucus introduced a bipartisan resolution to promote peace and tolerance through education in the Middle East. Representatives Ann Wagner (R-MO), Brad Schneider (D-IL), David Trone (D-MD), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) are behind this initiative, which encourages the U.S. Department of State and civil society organizations to support educational reforms aimed at reducing antisemitic content and hate speech.
Rep. Ann Wagner stated, “As our partners in the Middle East educate the next generation of leaders, it is clear that peace and stability in the region depend on an end to antisemitism and hate speech—period.” She emphasized that this resolution seeks to ensure antisemitism has no place in educational or other organizations throughout the Middle East.
Rep. Brad Schneider highlighted the impact of diplomacy through the Abraham Accords: “The Abraham Accords have shown us the power of diplomacy and cooperation in the Middle East,” he said. He stressed that educating future generations with values like peace, tolerance, and coexistence is crucial for regional stability.
The resolution also calls for collaboration with international organizations such as the United Nations to eliminate antisemitism from educational materials while promoting inclusivity. Rep. David Trone remarked on this aspect: “The education system influences the ideals of the next generation’s global citizens and leaders.”
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers pointed out that education is fundamental for achieving lasting peace: “Education is a cornerstone of the foundation we are building to achieve long-lasting peace and prosperity in the Middle East.”
This resolution aims to build on progress made by previous agreements under the Abraham Accords, signed on September 15, 2020. These accords resulted in normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states including UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco.
The Abraham Accords Caucus continues its efforts to expand these agreements further by encouraging partnerships among existing signatories and seeking new diplomatic relations with Israel from other countries. The caucus has previously pushed for legislation such as the Israel Relations Normalization Act.
Support for this initiative comes from various organizations including Atlantic Council, AIPAC, Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee among others.
###
Alerts Sign-up