Israel

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MARSHALL. Madam President, let my message to Israel be clear: America stands with you and your right to defend yourself from this unspeakable evil perpetrated by Hamas.

From my earliest memories, my mom, my Sunday school teachers told me that we support Israel. And as you go through your faith journey, as you go through your education, you learn why your mom and your Sunday school teachers said: We support Israel. I looked no further than my own bedroom wall to see Moses's Ten Commandments there that my mom had put for my brother and myself to look at every day when we awoke in the morning.

We learned later that Moses was indeed the greatest lawgiver; that this Nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values. It is what defines the United States of America in so many ways. And to our faith partners in Israel, we are grateful for that heritage and culture that they passed on to us.

But what I have learned as a Member of Congress, I need to pass on to every person in America--how important Israel is as an ally. In so many ways, they are the eyes and ears for America in a very, very troubled land. No doubt, their efforts have prevented the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans by thwarting terrorist attacks from our enemies. We are so blessed to share military technology that is saving American lives as well. Indeed, Israel has been one of our greatest, most staunch allies.

Today, we need to face the truth. We need to tell the truth. Hamas is a terrorist organization, and it only knows one language: death and destruction. Hamas's sole purpose is to radicalize its people, serve as a breeding ground for terrorism, and entirely eradicate Israel and other freedom-loving people like Americans.

The actions of Hamas over this last week serve as an illustration of their principles. Look, Hamas has no interest in dialogue, only in destruction. Hamas does not want peace, they want punishment. Hamas wants war, not coexistence. Hamas is a terrorist army with a track record of unspeakable brutality and a commitment to wiping out not just Israel but America as well. This terrorist organization knows only one language: death and destruction.

But the head of the snake is Iran. That is part of the truth that needs to be told. Iran is the head of the snake and Hamas is just a puppet fulfilling the prophecy of its leader. Hamas fighters and other terrorist groups are inspired, encouraged, and empowered by Iran to continue committing more brutal, more savage, and more devastating terrorist attacks around the globe.

Look, I think there is no doubt in my mind that Iran planned, they funded, they armed, and they authorized the brutal murders of babies, burning women alive in the streets, and killing 30 Americans. This blood--the blood of American citizens--is on the hands of Iran and Hamas. As we go forward over these next weeks, these next months, we need to realize that all the blood being shed belongs on the hands of Iran.

I would ask the White House to strongly condemn Iran's actions and disavow their terrorist regime. We need to stop empowering Iran. We need to stop encouraging them to develop nuclear weapons and making it possible to do that. We need to turn off their spigots. Right now, Iran is selling $1 billion of oil every week to pay for wars like this.

Under this administration, Iran's reserves have gone from $6 billion to $60 billion. We have to stop turning our heads to the sanctions. We need to double down on our sanctions. We need to stop the funding from Iran, this head of the snake.

Lastly, we need to make sure that all the other puppets of Iran know that if they engage further in war with Israel, as my dad would say, there will be hell to pay. This seems complicated to many people, but I think that is why it is so important that the United States outline exactly what our priorities are as we undertake these next several weeks.

No. 1, first and foremost, should be a focus on getting American citizens back home safely and to free American hostages. Every day that we wait, every day that goes by, American hostages are being terrorized. They are being tortured by Hamas. It goes without saying that we need to cut the head off the snake, which is Iran.

As I really ponder what is ahead of us here in the near future, I think about what one of my boyhood heroes said, Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States. This is what President Eisenhower said:

I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, and its stupidity.

I, too, hate war. This is not going to be pretty for the next several weeks and, I am afraid, months even.

We need to be clear about what Israel is up against. Their opponents, they are worse than animals. They are using women and babies as human shields and harboring hundreds of hostages.

I support Israel, and I understand and encourage their need to fight fire with fire when it comes to decimating this threat. The existence of Hamas is a clear and present danger to the United States, to Israel, and the entire free world. There is no safe Israel; there is no safe world; there is no safe America as long as Hamas lives in the Gaza Strip.

Again, I just pledge my support to the people of Israel.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source