{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-and-bipartisan-senate-delegation-return-to-us-after-trip-to-saudi-arabia-israel-and-egypt", "Booker and Bipartisan Senate Delegation Return to US after Trip to Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Egypt", "2023-10-24", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "NJ", "Cory A. Booker", "B001288", "www.booker.senate.gov", "booker", "https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and a bipartisan Senate delegation have returned to the United States after a four-day trip to Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Egypt to discuss current affairs in the region with a focus on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, including support for Israel\u2019s right to self-defense, the need to ensure the protection of innocent Palestinians and the continuous flow of life-saving humanitarian resources into Gaza, and efforts to release all hostages held by Hamas. Diplomatic meetings also focused on preventing expansion of the conflict and reinforcing the importance of not allowing Hamas to derail progress on normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, regional integration, and the prospects for a two-state solution.\n\nIn addition to Senator Booker, the bipartisan delegation included Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Thune (R-SD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Katie Britt (R-AL).\n\nSenator Booker and the delegation met with high-level officials in each of the nations they visited.\n\nSenator Booker said, \u201cHamas\u2019 unconscionable acts of violence, kidnapping, and terror targeting Israeli families, children, the elderly, and other civilians must be met with unwavering international condemnation. Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorist attacks and to ensure that something like October 7th never happens again. Palestinian civilians are not to blame for Hamas\u2019s terror and are also victims of Hamas\u2019 brutality. We must all prioritize the protection of innocent Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire and ensure that life-saving humanitarian assistance is able to enter Gaza and reach those in need.\u201d\n\nSenator Booker continued, \u201cHamas\u2019s unprecedented attacks against Israel came at a time when new normalization conversations and new opportunities to lay the groundwork for a two-state solution were occurring. I don\u2019t think this timing was a coincidence. The world cannot give in to terrorists\u2019 efforts to disrupt progress toward peace. Affirming and protecting Israel\u2019s right to exist as a democratic Jewish state and ensuring the Palestinian people\u2019s right to self-determination and a state of their own are both necessary components of any real and lasting peace in the region. It is clear that normalization and peace talks are more necessary than ever.\u201d\n\nTwo weeks ago, Senator Booker visited Israel, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain on a mission to build upon the historic Abraham Accords and strengthen bilateral relationships. Senator Booker was in Jerusalem on October 7 when Hamas, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, launched its horrific terror attacks against Israel. Senator Booker continued on to UAE and Bahrain to reinforce that only through normalization and increased regional economic, people-to-people, and security ties will terrorist groups and regimes that thrive off instability and fear be marginalized.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-and-bipartisan-senate-delegation-return-to-us-after-trip-to-saudi-arabia-israel-and-egypt"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6678721401840448, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}