More than a third of Democratic senators today called on President Joe Biden to push harder for a Palestinian state, as Washington appears to be losing patience with its close ally Israel.

This initiative comes after the speech of the head of the Democrats in the Senateby Chuck Schumer, who surprised by calling for new elections in Israel and openly criticizing the government of Benjamin Netanyahu for its handling of the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The crisis in the Middle East has “reached a critical point” and this requires the US to do more than just “facilitate” talks between Israelis and Palestinians, the 19 senators led by political ally Tom Carper write in their open letter of Joe Biden for many years.

“We therefore ask the Biden administration to quickly implement and release a plan outlining the necessary steps” to create a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, the senators added. That state, however, would have to be demilitarized, recognize Israel and renounce Hamas, the Palestinian movement that launched the October 7 attack on Israeli soil that killed at least 1,160 people, most of them civilians. Although Joe Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken say they support a “two-state solution”, their words have so far remained a “statement of intent”. And Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government includes many far-right ministers, has been categorically opposed.