There has never been a more significant and critical moment in the relationship between the U.S. and the state of Israel than right now. The U.S. must take all necessary actions to unequivocally stand with Israel and provide the Israeli people and the Israeli military any required aid as the country fights for its very existence in the unprovoked war launched by Hamas terrorists.
Preservation and enhancement of the U.S.-Israeli bond cannot be a political and diplomatic afterthought; rather, it must be a top priority because the security and prosperity of both nations depends on it. As one of our closest friends and strongest allies, we must be forward-leaning in our support of Israel through expedited replenishment of vital air and missile defense systems, additional military supplies as needed and requested, and a clear and unified message condemning the atrocities committed by Iranian-backed Hamas and other Iranian-backed terrorist proxies in the region.
Our friendship and support of Israel should be noncontroversial, unquestioned, and unwavering. Unfortunately, the sad and shameful reality is that some in Congress have turned their backs on Israel.
A few years ago, certain members of Congress sought to block essential arms from being transferred to Israel. And earlier this year, some of the same representatives boycotted Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s address to Congress. Now, we have members of Congress siding with terrorists and spreading misinformation about the Israeli military, such as the false claim that Israel bombed a hospital in Gaza. These acts are deplorable, represent a betrayal of one of our truest allies, and are part of the troubling antisemitism that emboldens Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. Anti-Israel sentiment cannot be normalized, must be called out, and needs to cease immediately.
Normalization of antisemitism is a troubling trend we are seeing across the country, and it begins with the Biden administration. In the hours following Hamas’s senseless and barbaric attacks against Israel, the State Department released multiple statements calling on Israel to stand down despite being the victim of unprovoked aggression. This was emphatically the wrong message for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to send. It has been, and continues to be, the policy of the United States to demonstrate unwavering commitment to the security of the state of Israel, and statements such as those of America’s top diplomat send a confusing and ambiguous message on that steadfast policy.
Unfortunately, these disgraceful actions continue a disheartening trend from Secretary Blinken and the Biden White House. This administration has knowingly violated the Taylor Force Act by providing U.S. taxpayer dollars to the Palestinian Authority, which is subsequently using those funds to kill and injure innocent Americans and Israelis through its “pay to slay” program. It is estimated that the Palestinian martyr payments through the “pay to slay” program will pay over $3 million to the families of the terrorists responsible for the recent terrorist attacks in southern Israel. Much of this money has shamefully been provided by the Biden administration in violation of the Taylor Force Act.
It was all but inevitable that President Joe Biden and Secretary Blinken’s continued capitulation seeking to appease the Iranian regime and Palestinian terrorists would soon lead to tragic and horrific consequences. That is why last December, in my personal capacity, I took decisive legal action to sue the administration for its violations of the Taylor Force Act.
I have done everything in my power to stand with Israel and provide support for the Jewish state. However, it has been frustrating and extremely disappointing to watch the executive branch thwart those efforts and damage our relationship with Israel by adopting anti-Israel policies, such as intentionally providing funding to terrorists who seek to bring harm to both Israel and the United States.
What’s more, the failed foreign policies and anti-Israel sentiments of this administration are now filtering down to America’s youth, further endangering our unique and cherished partnership with Israel. One need spend only a few minutes in our universities to corroborate this reality. What were once seen as beacons of academic excellence garnering global respect, our institutions of higher learning are now transforming into liberal echo chambers more concerned with pronoun usage and equity than condemning murder and rape committed by a foreign terrorist organization against Israeli and American citizens.
We must protect Israel’s right to defend itself and its very right to exist, and our commitment to Israel must be demonstrated through action. The United States-Israel relationship is unbreakable, and we will provide Israel with whatever it needs to defend itself against this heinous incursion and offense to civilized life. We cannot and will not stand by, or be sidelined by this administration, while Israel’s enemies attempt to exterminate the Jewish people.
I stand with a strong Israel, and at this critical juncture in time, it is essential that government officials, universities, and all Americans do the same. This is a fight between good and evil, and the only moral high ground is to stand strong with the Jewish people. As long as I have a vote in Congress, I will always cast my vote in support of the Jewish state of Israel.
