Chris Coons: “I appreciate the opportunity to speak to what is a pressing concern for so many of us. I will simply reflect on my last…”

“I appreciate the opportunity to speak to what is a pressing concern for so many of us. I will simply reflect on my last in-person meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant in Israel, now many weeks ago. It was part of a visit I made to a number of countries in the region. I spoke directly to this, and I believe what I am saying also reflects the views of the administration. Of course, the United States stands strongly behind Israel and its defense and its security. Secretary of Defense Austin, when asked this same question about what it might mean if there were pauses or reviews of weapons deliveries--what that might mean. Just yesterday, he said that the administration, the United States, retains an ironclad commitment to Israel's security and defense, as just demonstrated a few weeks ago when we worked together with Israel, with the UK, with France, with Saudi Kingdom, and with Jordan to provide their defense against 300 missiles and drones launched at Israel by Iran. So what is it that we are saying with regard to Rafah? What I said to the Prime Minister was: You don't just have the right to defend the Israeli people against Hamas; you have the obligation. After October 7, you have to restore a sense of security and deterrence against this terrorist organization that massacred more Jews, more civilians--1,200 people of a wide range of backgrounds, in fact. It is the worst day for Jews since the Holocaust.…”