Current:Home > BackRep. Elise Stefanik rebukes Biden and praises Trump in address to Israeli parliament-LoTradeCoin
Rep. Elise Stefanik rebukes Biden and praises Trump in address to Israeli parliament
View Date:2024-12-23 15:18:04
Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the highest-ranking Republican woman in the House, rebuked President Biden and praised former President Trump over U.S. military support for Israel in an address to its parliament on Sunday.
"There is no excuse for an American president to block aid to Israel — aid that was duly passed by the Congress, or to ease sanctions on Iran, paying a $6 billion ransom to the world's leading state sponsor of terror, or to dither and hide while our friends fight for their lives," The New York congresswoman and House GOP conference chairwoman said.
Earlier this month, acknowledging the U.S. had paused a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, Mr. Biden said that the U.S. would not provide Israel with weapons for an offensive in Rafah, and he acknowledged that Israel has used powerful American-made weapons in deadly attacks in Gaza. He suggested the U.S. would further curtail weapons shipments if Israel broadened its ground offensive to include civilian population centers in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
However, Mr. Biden also said that the U.S. would continue to provide defensive military aid to Israel, and the White House has said that the U.S. would ensure that Israel would receive the full amount pledged in a recently signed supplemental funding package that includes about $14 billion for Israel's defense. And last week, the Biden administration informed Congress that it intends to transfer $1 billion in weapons to Israel.
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement on Sunday that there "has been no better friend to Israel than President Biden."
"He was the first American president to visit Israel during war time — in the aftermath of the horrific October 7th terrorist attacks — and the first president to order the U.S. military to defend Israel from a foreign nation's attack. As he has demonstrated, President Biden's support for Israel's security is 'ironclad,'" Bates said.
Recalling a letter from George Washington wrote to Jews in Newport, Rhode Island, Stefanik said Americans are "firmly behind Israel and the Jewish people."
Stefanik noted that "for years, I have been a leading proponent and partner to President Trump in his historic support for Israeli independence and security." She's a close ally of Trump and was among the first to endorse his 2024 presidential bid. Sources have told CBS News that Trump views her as a potential running mate.
In congressional hearings late last year, Stefanik pressed the presidents of Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania on antisemitism on their campuses. Soon afterward, two of the presidents resigned.
"We must not let the extremism in 'elite' corners conceal the deep, abiding love for Israel among the American people. Most Americans feel a strong connection to your people," Stefanik told members of the Knesset.
Nikole Killion and Ed O'Keefe contributed to this report.
veryGood! (67)
Related
- IAT Community Introduce
- Athletics bid emotional farewell to Oakland Coliseum that they called home since 1968
- All the Country Couples Enjoying Date Night at the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards
- Why Comedian Matt Rife Wants to Buy The Conjuring House
- Jennifer Lopez Gets Loud in Her First Onstage Appearance Amid Ben Affleck Divorce
- What to know about Hurricane Helene and widespread flooding the storm left across the Southeast US
- Harris heads to the US-Mexico border to face down criticism of her record
- James Corden Admits He Tried Ozempic for Weight Loss and Shares His Results
- Bowl projections: SEC teams joins College Football Playoff field
- Prosecutors file sealed brief detailing allegations against Trump in election interference case
Ranking
- Alexandra Daddario shares first postpartum photo of baby: 'Women's bodies are amazing'
- Jury deliberation begins in the trial over Memphis rapper Young Dolph’s killing
- Cardi B says she regrets marrying Offset: 'Always been too good for you'
- Ozempic is so popular people are trying to 'microdose' it. Is that a bad idea?
- Martin Scorsese on the saints, faith in filmmaking and what his next movie might be
- Six months later, a $1.1 billion Mega Millions jackpot still hasn’t been claimed
- Texas official indicted, accused of making fake social media posts during election
- NASCAR Cup Series playoffs enter Round of 12: Where drivers stand before Kansas race
Recommendation
-
Get well, Pop. The Spurs are in great hands until your return
-
Falling tree at a Michigan nature center fatally injures a boy who was on a field trip
-
Army vs. Temple live updates: Black Knights-Owls score, highlights, analysis and more
-
Attorneys tweak $2.78B college settlement, remove the word ‘booster’ from NIL language
-
Northern Taurid meteor shower hits peak activity this week: When and where to watch
-
Judge orders US government to leave Wisconsin reservation roads open
-
Republican-led group sues to block Georgia rule requiring hand count of ballots
-
Dallas Cowboys pull out win in sloppy Thursday Night Football game vs. New York Giants