U.S. Senator Katie Britt: Attacks on Israel are Pure Evil
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 17, 2023 – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today joined a group of Republican colleagues at a press conference led by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) to condemn Hamas’ brutal attacks in Israel and emphasize the United States’ unequivocal support for the Israeli people as they respond with overwhelming force.
Since Hamas started their attacks on October 7, more than 1,400 Israelis have been killed. In addition, hundreds of Israelis, including a devastating number of children, have been taken hostage by Hamas. At least 30 American citizens have been killed amid Hamas’ attacks, and an additional 13 are reported missing.
At the press conference, Senators Britt and Blackburn were joined by Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.Dak.) and Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebr.).
A transcript of Senator Britt’s remarks can be found below:
“Thank you, Senator Blackburn, for putting this together and also thank you for your leadership. Immediately upon the atrocities that we saw, you sprang into action. And she led a letter to the President, with many of us, saying we must refreeze the $6 billion headed to Iran.
When we see what’s happening in Israel, y’all it is pure evil. You can’t look at it as a parent, as an American, just as a person, and not be able to say that. It’s not only disheartening, it’s not only gut-wrenching, it is – without a doubt – evil. I believe as Americans, we must look evil in the eye and take it down. We must stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel as they eradicate Hamas terrorists. These terrorists don’t care- they don’t care how many men they kill, how many women they rape, how many children they kidnap. If you haven’t watched the video of the children, the toddlers, the babies being held by terrorists, them using them as human shields – go watch it. If you haven’t listened to the reporters tell about walking into the places where these atrocities happened, then giving their recounting of what they saw, what it felt like – go watch it.
We cannot turn a blind eye to evil. We must stand firm with Israel, and I am hopeful that the Biden Administration will do much more than just refreezing the $6 billion that is headed to Iran. We know what to do. We’ve got to squeeze out any type of financial resources they’re getting through that. Through also working with our G7 colleagues, to make sure that we return to a posture of maximum pressure, bone-crushing sanctions drying up each and every dollar that is headed to their hands. We know that Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorists. We know that. We know, they have told us that their goal is to wipe Israel off the face of this earth. We need our leaders to stand firm and [holding] them accountable. And then knowing that Hamas not only wants to wipe out Israel, but has said that they want to wipe out the Jewish people. To all of the people here in America, to those suffering and hurting in Israel, we want you to know we stand with you and we stand ready to do everything possible to not only hold these people accountable, but ensure your safety and prosperity moving forward.”
High quality video of Senator Britt’s remarks can be downloaded HERE for media use.
Background:
Last week, Senator Britt joined Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and eight of their Senate colleagues in calling on President Biden to immediately convene the G7 nations and take coordinated action to further isolate Iran with severe sanctions that strike directly at the wealth that the Iranian regime uses to finance terrorism.
Senator Britt also joined a letter led by Senator Blackburn calling on the Biden Administration to re-freeze the $6 billion payout as part of the hostage swap that was finalized on September 11th. Since the deal was initially announced, Senator Britt has been an outspoken critic, warning that it “only incentivizes further hostage taking in the future.”
Additionally, Senator Britt recently joined Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and 28 of her Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin demanding a full accounting of actions taken by a senior Pentagon official who has close links to the Iranian government.
Earlier this year, Senator Britt personally visited Israel during her first official overseas trip as a member of the United States Senate, meeting with some of the nation’s top political and military leaders and seeing firsthand the threat posed by Iranian-backed terrorists.
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