By Congressman Tom Cole
Last week, on July 24th, I had the honor of witnessing a moment of rare unity in the oftentimes divided and chaotic Congress when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered remarks to a joint meeting of Congress in Washington, DC.
In his speech, the Prime Minister transcended the typical partisan divides by reminding us of the shared values and commitments that bind the United States and Israel together, as well as brought with him innocent families – both American and Israeli – torn apart by the barbaric attacks on October 7th. His remarks served as a necessary reminder that an attack on Israel is not just an assault on our ally, but also an attack on the United States, our values, and democracy and freedom all around the world. In such a time of hyper-partisanship, it was important for us to hear this message as a Chamber, as this is truly an area where both sides of the aisle should come together and unify in the fight against Iranian-backed terrorism.
Now, as we move forward, we must lead through strength and continue to show the rest of the world that we will not waver in our ironclad support for our great ally. We must continue to stand like a rock with Israel to ensure that the Israelis have the essential resources to defend itself and eradicate the cruel terrorist organization Hamas from this earth for good. We, the United States of America, cannot allow the Axis of Evil to win and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech served as a critical reminder of this.
