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Floor Speech

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Ms. ERNST. Madam President, first, I would like to thank the Senator from South Carolina. We know that normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel is incredibly important, and the Senator from South Carolina has been knee-deep in efforts to bring those two nations together. I would like to thank him first for that.

America's promises mean something--or at least they should. President Biden has repeatedly promised that his commitment to Israel is ironclad, but revoking much needed military support for our closest Middle Eastern ally says otherwise.

Let's be clear: The Middle East--really, the entire world--right now is on fire, and the blame lies, in large part, on the shoulders of the administration. President Biden's weak leadership has consistently appeased our enemies and abandoned our allies.

This dangerous trend began with the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, where he left behind Americans and Afghan allies to the mercies of Taliban rule. As a result, terrorists across the globe rejoice at Biden's decisions instead of trembling in fear of the United States as they once did and should.

Two weeks ago, I returned from Israel, where I advocated for the release of American hostages held captive by Iran-backed Hamas. I stood before Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and assured them that America has your back. Yet, as my words were still reverberating, the Biden administration sent a far different, far more damaging message to our ally: We are withholding key munitions.

Unbelievable and unconscionable.

Let's not miss that the very weapons that President Biden is withholding include kits that will convert bombs into precision-guided weapons--tools that would help Israel conduct very precise strikes against Hamas, thus reducing civilian casualties.

Mind you, reducing civilian casualties is the administration's stated goal when it comes to how the IDF prosecutes their rightful retaliation. Yet the Biden White House is withholding the very means Israel needs to accomplish this goal.

It is total hypocrisy, folks.

As Prime Minister Netanyahu said to me and to the world, the United States withholding these precision-guided capabilities will not stop Israel from defending itself.

But make no mistake, Biden's decision will make it harder for Israel to avoid civilian deaths. This, my friends, is a very, very grim reality.

In April, Congress, with my help, stood firmly with our ally by approving critical weapons support for Israel. Leading up to the passage of this bill, President Biden himself declared the aid to Israel was critical and called for ``swift and decisive action'' to ensure Israel had everything it needed to defend itself. Yet, now, when it is his time to act, Biden fails to do so.

Since October 7, Israel has faced existential, Iran-backed threats on every side. In the Gaza Strip, Hamas terrorists continue to attack our friend and hold dozens of hostages, including Americans--our American eight. Hezbollah forces continue to bomb northern Israel, forcing the evacuation of 60,000 Israelis. Houthis have also attacked dozens of ships crossing the Red Sea in order to strangle the Israeli economy. And, of course, Iran--the supporter of all of these terrorist groups-- launched more than 300 projectiles against Israel last month in an unprecedented escalation, not to mention the attacks by Iranian proxies on our own servicemembers in the region. Three American servicemembers were killed at Tower 22 in Jordan. Let's not forget.

As Israel faces these dangers, we must give her the arms needed to fight and win--to destroy the Hamas terrorists that continue to hold our--our--fellow citizens hostage, the American eight.

What must not get lost in all the noise is that the decision to withhold weapons from Israel reeks of politics. The President is choosing to capitulate to an anti-Israel, pro-Hamas faction within his own party. He does so at his own peril and, more importantly, at the peril of countless lives.

President Biden, you have made your choice. You are choosing the side of Iran-backed Hamas terrorists who brutally rape women and burn children. You are choosing the side of anti-Semites who are ruining the lives of Jewish students across this country. You will live with the consequences of your choices and, most gravely, so will the American hostages and U.S. servicemembers being targeted by Iranian proxies every single day.

Republicans will not waver in our support for Israel and our Jewish friends. ``Never again'' is not just a slogan; it is a solemn vow, and in this pivotal moment, we will stand on the right side of history.

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