Speaking to reporters Thursday ahead of President Donald Trump’s primetime address to the nation, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) took a question about Israel.

“How would you handle the Israel issue in the next Congress if you’re in the majority?” a reporter asked. “I’m just curious what that looks like practically. Will you not whip votes on Israel if you’re in the majority? Will you not bring so many of these bills to the floor? What does that look like to you?”

In his answer, Jeffries attempted to walk the tightrope between the establishment Democrats who support Israel and the anti-Israel progressive left flank of the party. Referring to his “Dear Colleague” letter urging House Democrats to oppose the amendment introduced by Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) to end military aid to Israel, he said that the values spelled out in the letter would guide policy.

“I think the letter pretty clearly laid out, as I amplified in my remarks earlier today, how we plan to proceed in terms of fundamental values on these issues,” he said. “The situation relative to the United States’ relationship with Israel, the Palestinian people, and policy in the Middle East has to change because the current status quo is unsustainable.”

“Our approach will be one that is broadly inclusive. [It will be based on] the values that I talked about in the letter,” he added, stressing that “Israel is an ally of the United States of America in the fight against terrorism,” and that the ultimate goal is to secure “a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinian people.”

Massie’s amendment failed to pass the House Wednesday, with Democrats split nearly in half on the measure, while Massie was the only Republican to vote for it.