Risch: The People of America Support Israel – Full Stop

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor in support of Israel:

Watch Senator Risch’s full remarks on YouTube here.

On the Biden Administration and Democrats turning their backs on Israel:

“For 76 years, the U.S. has stood with the State of Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East. But today, members of this body are sending a message that U.S. support for Israel is in question. It is not,” said Risch. “The administration has withheld weapons and ammunition, issued National Security Memorandum 20 which has held Israel to arbitrary standards, and interfered in Israel’s domestic politics – all in an effort to placate the far left of the Democratic party during our own domestic elections.”

On the dangerous implications of withholding arms sales to Israel:

“Withholding arm sales signals to terrorists that American support for Israel is conditional and encourages Iran’s proxies to extend the war in Gaza – further risking civilians – and incentivizes Hezbollah to continue its attacks on Israel from the North. We must stand with Israel as it confronts these threats,” said Risch.

“Partners straddling the fence between the United States on the one hand and China and Russia on the other are watching closely. They will certainly draw the conclusion that the United States is a fickle friend and cannot be relied upon to follow through on its commitments in their hour of need,” Risch continued. “To make it worse, these resolutions highlight that instead of confronting our adversaries and their bad actions, the U.S. will instead call on our friends to simply take it and threaten them if they do not.”

On American’s continued support for Israel:

“I hope the world will hear me when I say that the people of America support Israel – full stop,” said Risch.

A transcript of Risch’s full remarks is below:

“Madam President, I rise in opposition to the resolutions before us.

“For 76 years, the U.S. has stood with the State of Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East. But today, members of this body are sending a message that U.S. support for Israel is in question. It is not.

“This comes after a difficult year, during which this administration has egregiously undermined Israel’s ability to defend itself as it fights a several-front war against Iran and our common enemies.

“The administration has withheld weapons and ammunition, issued National Security Memorandum 20 which has held Israel to arbitrary standards, and interfered in Israel’s domestic politics – all in an effort to placate the far left of the Democratic party during our own domestic elections.

“Today instead of acknowledging that American support for Israel is still strong, these resolutions seek to say that support for Israel has changed. It has not.

“I know these resolutions will fail, and I hope the world will hear me when I say that the people of America support Israel – full stop.

“But I think it’s important to remember how we got here. This administration foolishly thought we could get along with Iran and begged the Iranians to talk.

“When they Iranians refused, the administration released billions of dollars in frozen assets in an effort to buy the Iranians off. Meanwhile, the administration reversed U.S. sanctions policies that had cut off the flow of money to the Iranians. 

“The Iranian ghost fleet, which Tehran uses to evade sanctions, grew from under 80 ghost ships moving oil to over 300 ships. Awash with money and knowing the administration would not challenge bad Iranian behavior, Iran knew it could start this war in Gaza without consequences.     

“Rather than focus on Iran’s behavior, these resolutions before us today are the predictable evolution of the administration’s horrible and failed policies that seek to both appease critics of Israel and isolate the Jewish state in the international community at its time of greatest need.

“The departure from the regular process for moving arms sales and the administration’s repeated threats to halt assistance to Israel invited these resolutions that are now before us. 

“Withholding arm sales signals to terrorists that American support for Israel is conditional and encourages Iran’s proxies to extend the war in Gaza – further risking civilians – and incentivizes Hezbollah to continue its attacks on Israel from the North. We must stand with Israel as it confronts these threats.

“Voting in favor of these resolutions would have significant foreign policy implications far beyond the Middle East. U.S. allies across the globe will lose confidence in the U.S. as a dependable security partner.

“Partners straddling the fence between the United States on the one hand and China and Russia on the other are watching closely. They will certainly draw the conclusion that the United States is a fickle friend and cannot be relied upon to follow through on its commitments in their hour of need.

“To make it worse, these resolutions highlight that instead of confronting our adversaries and their bad actions, the U.S. will instead call on our friends to simply take it and threaten them if they do not. 

“Support for Israel has traditionally enjoyed broad bipartisan support. I know that is true today. As such, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote no on these resolutions and to deliver a strong voice of support for Israel. Thank you, Madam President.”

Remarks have been slightly edited for clarity.

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