Democrats need to confront a difficult reality. While the Republican strategy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has proven ineffective, so too has the Democratic approach. The Democratic Party has frequently offered uncritical support to Israeli administrations, even when their actions compromise American values and interests.

For decades, Democrats have advocated for a two-state solution but have not effectively wielded influence to implement it. It is time to leverage our position to conclude the occupation and establish two states with equal political and legal rights. This requires reconsidering taxpayer support for Israel and reevaluating the conditions of arms sales.

There is a growing consensus among colleagues that the current situation is intolerable. Recently, 40 Democrats opposed transferring certain military equipment to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, an increase from 15 the previous year.

To clarify, I recognize Israel’s security needs. Yet, Democrats have too often accepted Israel’s reasoning that U.S. arms are purely for defense purposes. We must acknowledge that Israel has utilized its military strength not just defensively but offensively, disrupting the two-state solution and furthering a far-right vision of a “Greater Israel.”

The situation on the ground is evident: West Bank settlers have attacked Palestinians with little consequence, with Israeli security forces complicit in such acts. Israel’s de facto annexation has confined Palestinians to ever-smaller areas. Meanwhile, Mr. Netanyahu’s administration has weakened the Palestinian Authority, which, unlike Hamas, recognizes Israel’s statehood. Observers in the West Bank can witness an apartheid system. Gaza remains devastated, with a dire humanitarian situation and an armed Hamas.

I have witnessed these changes firsthand. My visits to Israel and the West Bank have shown me illegal settlements swiftly advancing on lands meant for a future Palestinian state. I have talked with Palestinian families who have been displaced from their homes and lands. Conversations with both Israeli and Palestinian families revealed the pain of losing loved ones to ongoing violence. In Ramallah, I met Palestinian American parents struggling for justice for their children killed by violent settlers or Israeli forces. I have seen aid trucks halted at Israeli checkpoints as children in Gaza suffer from hunger. The city of Rafah, once vibrant, was reduced to ruins by Israeli forces using American military equipment.