Shelley Moore Capito: “last week, on May 14, our friend and ally Israel celebrated its 76th Independence Day. As we all know, Israel was…”

“last week, on May 14, our friend and ally Israel celebrated its 76th Independence Day. As we all know, Israel was founded in the wake of the Holocaust to give the Jewish people a homeland that would allow them to return to their ancestral land that they had been forcibly removed from. I am proud--very proud--that the United States was the first country to recognize Israel; and since then, we have been steadfast allies that support one another through times both prosperous and challenging. However, this year's Israeli Independence Day came during a time of great turmoil, as Israel battles terrorist forces that have ruthlessly waged war against them since October 7. We join them as they mourn the loss of over 1,200 Israelis killed in that initial attack and pray for the safe return of the hostages still kept in captivity by Hamas. In an alarming development, this longstanding U.S.-Israel relationship is now becoming unnecessarily strained by President Biden's quest to appease those in his party who do not support the State of Israel, a bastion of democracy and freedom in the Middle East. The October 7 attack marks the most horrific attack Israel has suffered since its founding and the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. So how did we get to this point? The common refrain for those opposed to Israel now has been to call for cease-fire now. We have seen it all across our college campuses.…”