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| Mariam Zuhaib/AP |
One of the Republican Party's leaders in the U.S. House, Representative Elise Stefanik, addressed a caucus of Israel's parliament on Sunday, advocating for full military aid to support the war against Hamas in Gaza.
Stefanik, who represents a conservative district in northern New York, emphasized that the U.S. should supply "the state of Israel with what it needs, when it needs it, without conditions to achieve total victory in the face of evil."
On social media, Stefanik framed her speech as a rebuke to President Joe Biden, who had restricted some weapons deliveries to Israel amid growing concerns over the humanitarian crisis and civilian casualties in Gaza.
Earlier this month, Biden told CNN he would withhold bombs and artillery shells if Israel escalated fighting in Rafah, a city in Gaza where many Palestinian refugees have gathered. "If they go into Rafah, I'm not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities," Biden said.
The Biden administration initially withheld a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel but later announced plans to move forward with $1 billion in military aid.
In her speech, Stefanik, who serves as House Republican Conference Chair, criticized any restrictions that might hinder the fight against Hamas. "Total victory starts, but only starts, with wiping those responsible for October 7th off the face of the earth," Stefanik said.
Hamas launched an attack inside Israel on October 7th that killed approximately 1,200 people, according to the Israeli government. Since then, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 35,000 deaths, including many civilians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. This violence has drawn international condemnation and spurred a protest movement on U.S. college campuses.
Stefanik also addressed concerns about antisemitism on university campuses worldwide. In recent months, she has played an increasingly prominent role during House committee hearings on alleged antisemitism at U.S. colleges. She criticized pro-Palestinian activists for "calling for intifada and genocide" against Jews and asserted that these views do not reflect those of the American people.
Stefanik pledged to continue her efforts to remove top university officials in the U.S. whom she accused of tolerating antisemitism. Some critics argue that Republicans are using legitimate fears about antisemitism to attack progressive ideas and liberal leaders. Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, warned that partisan criticism of campus protesters could be used to delegitimize diversity programs and potentially lead to the defunding of liberal institutions.
The debate in the U.S. over antisemitism and support for the war in Gaza comes at a time when Israeli politicians are divided on how to pursue the fight against Hamas. Centrist war cabinet member Benny Gantz has threatened to leave the coalition government unless Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu develops a concrete plan for the future of Palestinians in Gaza. "We need a strategic reversal," Gantz said in a televised speech on Saturday, calling the current situation a "moment of truth" for Israel.
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