Republicans Overseas Statement on the Israeli-Gaza Conflict
For over a week, the Hamas terrorist organization in control of the Gaza Strip has engaged in an unprovoked, massive missile attack against Israeli civilians located in southern and central Israel, including Israel’s capital, Jerusalem. Hamas has also sought to create civil unrest between Israel’s Jewish and Arab communities in urban centers where both have lived peacefully together for years.
There is compelling evidence that the missile attacks and the incitement campaign were carried out at the behest of or in coordination with Iran, the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. In response, Israel has launched a powerful counterattack to destroy the extensive weapons manufacturing capacity and infrastructure built by Hamas. Hamas funded these tools of terror by diverting billions of dollars in foreign aid away from its own civilian population.
Regrettably, the Israeli counterattack, carried out in the defense of its citizens, has resulted in casualties among Gazan residents, many of whom were being exploited as human shields by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists. Some Gazans were killed or injured by Hamas missiles which failed to reach their targets in Israel. Many of the reported casualties in Gaza were actually Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.
Republicans Overseas strongly supports Israel’s right to defend itself against the cowardly terrorist attacks on its civilian population. The outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East has occurred during the Biden Administration’s foolish reversal of President Trump’s highly successful Middle East policies which resulted in unprecedented peace between Israel and many of her Arab neighbors (the “Abraham Accords”), while isolating Iran and eviscerating ISIS.
The Biden Administration has also restarted funding Palestinian and UN organizations in the region without requiring any positive change in their relations with Israel, thus sending exactly the wrong message which is in part responsible for the current outbreak of violence.
Even more absurd is the Biden Administration’s incessant effort to court favor with Iran by returning America to the JCPOA and providing millions of dollars to a regime dedicated to destroying Israel and America’s other loyal allies in the region. The Administration’s about-face has needlessly created an international and humanitarian crisis of enormous proportions. Like so many of the other crises engendered by President Biden in only four months in office, the Middle East crisis was totally avoidable and unnecessary.
Republicans Overseas calls upon the Biden Administration to reconsider its foolish and dangerous gambit in the Middle East; to abandon its financial and diplomatic support for Iran, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist organizations; to return to the proven successful policies of the Trump Administration; and to demonstrate America’s unwavering commitment to prosperity and peace between Israel and her neighbors.
Read the PDF here: Statement on the Israeli-Gaza Conflict May 2021