US Representative Ro Khanna is one of the latest lawmakers to call for the recognition of a Palestinian state, a position he adamantly advocated for when he held a town hall over the weekend.

On Saturday, the progressive congressman, who represents Silicon Valley, held a town hall at Santa Clara University. There, he spoke at a packed auditorium to constituents who have expressed growing concern for US support for Israel's war on Gaza, which has led to an alarming hunger crisis, Arab News reported. 

"It is time for the United States to officially recognize a Palestinian state. To follow Britain, to follow Canada, to follow 147 other countries," he said, followed by loud applause.

"We believe recognizing Palestinian statehood and obligating Palestinian leaders to abide by the international law binding on states and their governments will make that far more achievable and sustainable than decades of statelessness and repression have," reads the draft letter dated 31 July.

Though the crowd largely consisted of seniors, the congressman declared that he represented a new generation that would not tolerate [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu violating human rights.

"There is a new generation in this country that is not going to watch you violate human rights," he said. He added Israel's aid blockage was causing a manmade starvation, called on Israel to allow food into Gaza, and said it was time to end the US giving Israel a "blank cheque".

He also called out the "leaking" of him signing on to a letter by lawmakers supporting a Palestinian state, what he believed was an attempt to sabotage the letter and his support.

According to a report by The Hill, signatories to the letter (originally reported by Jewish Insider) include Texas Representatives Greg Casar, Veronica Escobar, Lloyd Doggett and Al Green, Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, Jared Huffman of California, Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey, Pramila Jayapal of Washington state, and Maxwell Frost of Florida.

"I didn't think this was going to be controversial, and then they leaked my letter because they wanted to sabotage other members of Congress from getting on the letter, and a publication said, 'Khanna is going to face significant pushback in his own district. How many people here support my effort that the United States should officially recognise a Palestinian state? And how many people are opposed?'" he said.

"I know my district, and I'm proud of representing this district," he added, followed by another moment of loud applause. The progressive lawmaker has sparked rumours of a presidential run with a recent visit to South Carolina, where he drew large crowds.

Last month, he spoke out on what he described as mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel.

"There is mass starvation of the Palestinian people in Gaza, according to the World Health Organization. Over 900,000 children face the possibility of starvation. Then children just this week have died. There are reports of children crying themselves to sleep because they don't have enough to eat," he said.

He went on to note reports of more than 1,000 Palestinians who have been killed while trying to collect aid from the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Fund, calling out the US for being "complicit" in supporting Netanyahu.

The Palestinian Authority, Like Vatican City, currently has observer status at the United Nations. Making Palestine a full member state would require the support of the UN Security Council, over which the US has veto power.