Keller @ Large: Warren says a two-state solution is the way to peace for Palestine and Israel
BOSTON - Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she was "horrified" by video of the Hamas October 7 attacks she and other senators saw last week.
The video montage comprised of body cam, cell phone and dashboard videos Hamas took during the attacks.
"It was the reminder of what I've already seen - and that is how personal this war is. It is not a distant thing of numbers," Warren said. "I talk to people in Massachusetts pretty much every day. I talk to Israelis who lost family, who've had those that were hostages. I have talked with Palestinians who have lost family members, who are trying to get information, trying to help people to get out of Gaza. And for everyone, it is about how real this is."
Warren, who supports a two-state solution, said people feel isolated and like they can't speak out. Warren says she wants to see an extension of the cease-fire that was in place, allowing hostages to be released and humanitarian aid to be brought into Gaza.
"A two-state solution of lasting peace. That's the direction we've got to go in," Warren said. She added that a successful two-state solution would mean removing Hamas from power and installing a new government to represent Palestinians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also worked to undermine a two-state solution Warren said. "The Israelis deserve a leader who is going to work toward peace, going to work toward security for both Palestinians and for Israelis.
Warren also spoke about a bill she is sponsoring that would regulate the crypto market, laws she said are necessary. "Think of it this way," Warren said, "Right now, there are money-laundering rules so you that you can't use the financial system to be able to finance illegal activities. They apply to banks. They apply to credit cards. They apply to gold traders. They apply to stockbrokers. They apply to pretty much every that we move value, both nationally and internationally. Guess who they don't apply to? They don't apply to crypto."
Warren said Hamas has used cryptocurrency to finance it's activities, and that Iran, North Korea and Russia have also used crypto to evade sanctions. Ransomware is also financed by crypto, Warren said. As for opponents who say regulations will kill the industry, Warren said, "I have to say, with respect, if you cannot survive as an industry without supporting the drug traffickers and the terrorists and the crypto criminals, then that is a problem, but it's not a problem the rest of us should say let's give an avenue for drug traffickers and the terrorists to use."
As for artificial intelligence and Big Tech, Warren says she wants to see regulations that protect the safety and privacy of people.
"Nobody elected Elon Musk to go run our foreign policy or to run what has become a huge part of our communications," Warren said. "What I would like to see, for example, is a little more regulation that gets a little more competition into the area. And with a little competition so the biggest guys do not get to dominate the whole field. Yes, I am looking at Amazon. And, yes, I'm looking at Meta. And, yes, I am looking at X."