My newsletter this week is a statement of strong support for Israel’s right to use decisive force in defending its citizens and eliminating terrorist threats to its homeland. It has been signed by a bipartisan group of 56 Iowa legislators.
This is the Statement:
This is in response to the brutal, highly organized, and unprecedented attack operation the Hamas terrorist organization has launched upon the sovereign state of Israel and its citizens in the early morning hours of October 7, 2023.
The Hamas terrorist organization was founded with the stated goal of destroying the State of Israel and has been designated by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
In its attack, Hamas has killed hundreds of innocent civilians – babies, children, women, elderly, entire families. At least 27 Americans are among the dead. Hamas abducted an estimated 150 civilian hostages to Gaza, including women, children, and infirm civilians. Americans and other foreign nationals are among the hostages. Hamas has fired thousands of rockets and mortars from Gaza into Israel in an attempt to terrorize and kill untold numbers of innocent civilians.
The level of logistical sophistication demonstrated in this Hamas terrorism operation indicates its receipt of support and funding from foreign state sponsors of terror, likely Iran and possibly others.
The timing of this Hamas terrorism operation to coincide with the observance of the Jewish Sabbath and celebration of the holiday of Simchat Torah demonstrates the intent to maximize civilian casualties.
Hamas and its affiliate terrorist groups continue to brazenly locate elements of their terrorist infrastructure in civilian population centers, thus using civilians as human shields and exposing civilians to harm, while they hunker down underground. Many Americans reside in both Israel and in the Palestinian territories.
The Iowa state senator and representative signatories:
Express vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel.
Recognize its right to act decisively and unilaterally in self-defense to protect its citizens.
Support Israel’s right to pursue without interference or condemnation the elimination of Hamas and other organizations while doing all in its power to protect innocent civilians until such terrorism is permanently neutralized and public safety to Israeli citizens is assured.
Convey our most heartfelt condolences to all Israeli victims, their families, and their communities as well as all other innocent victims.
Call on Hamas to release all hostages immediately and unconditionally.
Call upon Iowa law enforcement officials to remain vigilant in protecting Israeli Americans, Jewish Americans, and supporters of Israel as well as Jewish institutions and houses of worship from acts of crime and unlawful discrimination that tend to manifest at such times.
Encourage all other American states to likewise condemn Hamas and all state sponsors of terrorism as well as any official body that refuses to recognize Israel’s right to act decisively in self-defense to protect its citizens.
Call upon the United States to provide all assistance as may be required to support Israel in its defense against Hamas and all other terrorist organizations.
End of Statement
This statement is being distributed as a letter to the Iowa federal delegation and the governor. It will also be sent to the Israeli-American Coalition for Action, who is gathering statements of support/resolutions from other states to forward to the Israeli government to let them know Iowans stand with Israel.
