Capital District Times

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) have issued a letter to President Joe Biden, urging the Biden-Harris Administration to explicitly support Israel's right to defend its borders against Hezbollah. The letter comes in response to ongoing missile, drone, and rocket attacks from Hezbollah that have forced thousands of Israelis to evacuate their homes.

“The Biden-Harris Administration has completely failed to stand with our most precious ally Israel. The U.S. must clearly support Israel’s right to defend its sovereign borders against Hezbollah’s persistent attacks which have killed dozens of Israeli civilians and decimated the agricultural production of northern Israel. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ failure to support the only democracy in the Middle East undermines America’s national security interests and has emboldened the violent Iranian regime,” said Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.

The letter emphasizes strong backing for Israel amid what lawmakers describe as intensifying threats from Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon. They highlight over 19,000 missile and drone attacks on Israel since October 7th, with more than 5,820 attributed specifically to Hezbollah.

“We write to express our strong support for Israel’s right to self-defense amid the intensifying attacks that Israel faces from Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon. Since Hamas’s barbaric October 7 attacks across Israel’s southern border, Israel has endured over 19,000 Iranian-backed missile and drone attacks from all fronts. Hezbollah alone has launched over 5,820 rocket, missile, and drone attacks into northern Israel that have killed 33 Israelis and forced more than 60,000 Israelis to uproot their lives and flee their homes. Israel should not have to live under constant fear of aerial attack and has the legal right and moral obligation to defend its sovereign borders and its people. Hence, we urge you to unequivocally support Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah’s attacks, and to provide in a timely manner the support necessary to restore peace and security.”

The lawmakers also criticize what they perceive as ambiguous U.S. policy toward the conflict on Israel's northern border.

“It is disappointing that your administration’s policy towards the conflict on Israel’s northern border is ambiguous at best. America should not be neutral when it comes to the conflict between Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, and Hezbollah, the Iranian regime’s most lethal terrorist proxy. In early June, Hezbollah dramatically increased their missile and drone attacks against Israel and your administration out of fear of escalation responded by cautioning Israel against responding. Additionally your administration continues block transfer of 2 thousand-pound bombs F-15 fighter aircraft other US made defense articles needed in israel These decisions have exacerbated perceived tensions divisions between United States israel empowered hezbollah terrorists impeded israels efforts defend itself A failure fully support Israels right self-defense both word deed undermines US national security interests risks breaking faith with our nation ironclad commitment israel”

The full text of this letter can be accessed online through Representative Stefanik's official website.

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