Nashville Standard

United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) have sent a letter to President Joe Biden, urging his administration to clearly state their unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend its sovereign borders against Hezbollah’s attacks.

Since October 7th, Hezbollah has launched thousands of missiles, drones, and rockets over Israel’s northern border. These actions have forced tens of thousands of Israelis to evacuate their homes and violate UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The Biden Administration has yet to explicitly express support for Israel's right to self-defense in response to these attacks.

“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,” the Members of Congress wrote. “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.”

“It is disappointing that your administration’s policy towards the conflict on Israel’s northern border is ambiguous at best,” the Members of Congress continued. “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 to block the transfer of 2,000-pound bombs, F-15 fighter aircraft, and other U.S.-made defense articles needed in Israel. These decisions have exacerbated perceived tensions and divisions between the United States and Israel, empowered Hezbollah terrorists, and impeded Israel’s efforts to defend itself. A failure to fully support Israel’s right to self-defense in both word and deed undermines U.S. national security interests and risks breaking faith with our nation’s ironclad commitment to Israel.”

A copy of the letter can be found here.

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