The Anniversary of October 7th
Today is a day of remembrance. It marks the anniversary of the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. As we remember the mass tragedy invoked upon Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, we cannot forget that the United States has continually stood against terror and oppression across the globe.
On October 7th, 2023, Israel was targeted by a terrorist organization known as Hamas. Over 1,500 civilians were brutally killed, over 2,800 were injured, women of all ages were violently assaulted, and around 250 people were captured. A year later nearly 100 of these hostages remain unaccounted for. This attack was unwarranted, and the tactics used, and actions carried out on this day were an atrocity. Israel has no other choice but to defend itself and its people. Just last week, Israel was once again forced to take defensive actions as Iran launched around 180 ballistic missiles at population centers across the country. Today, Israel is still fighting a war on all sides conducted by Iran and Iranian funded proxies.
After this attack, the U.S. House of Representatives passed numerous pieces of legislation to support and defend the state of Israel. H.R. 5961, the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act was a response to the Biden-Harris Administration's September 2023 decision to release six billion in frozen funds to Iran. This legislation imposed new sanctions to permanently prevent the transfer of the six billion dollars and froze additional Iranian assets. Through the House Appropriations Committee, the House also passed a security supplemental which provided defensive aid for Israel’s Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems, and other crucial defensive munitions.
Moving forward, we must continue to support Israel and provide them with the capabilities to defend themselves. We cannot return to appeasement of Iran and its proxies but should instead focus on peace through strength. I will continue to pray for the protection of the Israeli people and Jewish communities across the world.