“As Americans, we find ourselves at a critical juncture, where our unwavering support for Israel is not just a matter of policy but a moral and national security imperative.”
In case you missed it, U.S. Senate candidate Matt Dolan is out with a new op-ed in today’s edition of the Columbus Dispatch. In it, Dolan makes the case that the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas constitutes a defining moment for our nation. Dolan also stands firm against fringe, isolationist voices, including that of US Senate candidate Bernie Moreno, that claim Israel does not need further financial, humanitarian, and military support to protect their citizens and destroy Hamas.
Matt Dolan | October 27, 2023
Last year I had the opportunity to visit Israel as part of a bipartisan Senate delegation.
As we received policy briefings and immersed ourselves in the beauty and historical significance of the land, there was also an ever-present sense of awareness. Along with enjoying the kindness and generosity of America’s strongest Middle Eastern ally, we were reminded of their vulnerability to the ever-present threat of Iranian-backed terrorists.
For decades, the United States and Israel have shared a special bond rooted in common values, democracy, and the belief in the fundamental right to exist in peace and security. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East; a nation that has faced existential threats since its very inception.
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Hamas brazenly attacked 50 years to the day from the start of the Yom Kippur War.
The brutal slaughter of innocents was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. These events constitute more than an assault on one nation. They are an attack on the principles of peace, stability, and human rights.
Hamas’s acts of war have put innocent Israeli and American civilians in grave danger, including women, infants, children, and the elderly. No nation should have to endure such attacks on its civilian population, and no nation should be expected to respond with anything but a strong defense of its citizens.
As Americans, we find ourselves at a critical juncture, where our unwavering support for Israel is not just a matter of policy but a moral and national security imperative.
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For years Iran has provided Hamas with weapons, funding, and training, all of which were leveraged for this attack. In doing so, Iran clearly shares responsibility for the barbarity of the attack and for all deaths, injuries, and kidnappings of Israeli, American and other foreign nationals.
The world has seen with stunning clarity that Hamas and Islamic Jihad often place rockets supplied by the Iranian regime inside civilian populations, including at houses of worship, schools, and hospitals in Gaza.
There’s little doubt that in the days ahead, we may see the loss more of innocent lives. This may serve the propaganda purposes of Hamas, but let us be clear, this loss of life is attributable to Hamas, not Israel.
Even in this sobering moment in time, there are voices, some within my own party, that call for restraint in supporting Israel. They feel this is a time for America to turn inward and deny funding, intelligence, or enhanced defense capabilities to our ally. Let there be no mistake.
Following this course of action would be tantamount to appeasement of Tehran and their terrorist proxies. America must have Israel’s back.
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This is a defining moment for our nation, and our commitment to Israel’s security will protect American interests and serve as a beacon of hope in an otherwise tumultuous region.
To read the op-ed in its entirety, click here.