First appearance on Fox: More than 20 U.S. state-level financial officials are calling on the Biden administration to continue aid to Israel amid the Israeli Defense Forces’ recent invasion of Rafah.
The 23 members of the State Treasurer’s Foundation (SFOF) said, “As the State Treasurer, we are grateful for your early commitment to provide unyielding support to Israel after the October 7 attacks. “We are concerned that that promise has been undermined in recent months.” wrote in a letter to Biden on Tuesday. SFOF is a conservative “small government, pro-growth” group of state auditors, treasurers, and comptrollers. According to the website.
“Violent, anti-Semitic protests are erupting across the country. Recent comments that are vague about this abhorrent act only further embolden protesters,” the letter continued. “We are concerned that at a time when Israel is in crisis, precision weapons needed to protect Israel’s very right to exist appear to be withheld.”
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Israeli tanks move near the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel on Thursday, April 11. (AP/Tsafril Abayov)
State Treasurer of Alabama, Louisiana, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia and Kansas also filed resolutions establishing their unwavering support for Israel and sent them to the White House.
The officers’ resolution states that the state “will not invest in organizations that convey anti-Semitic sentiments or donate to nonprofit organizations that openly advocate anti-Semitism” and that “when appropriate and applicable, We will use the power of our country to combat the anti-Western cancer.” It has infected educational institutions in our state. ”
President Biden last week threatened to withhold weapons from Israel if the Jewish state proceeds with its invasion of Rafah, Hamas’ last stronghold in Gaza. Biden vowed that the United States would continue to send defense weapons to Israel, including supplies for Israel’s Iron Dome.
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President Biden has threatened to withhold weapons if Israel moves forward with its invasion of Rafah. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
State treasurers are calling on Biden to “eliminate ambiguity in his words and actions regarding support for Israel in its fight against the terror of the terrorist organization Hamas.”
Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming said in an interview with Fox News Digital that he was one of the first police officers to sign the letter.
“Israel should not stop, and we should not stop supporting Israel until they eliminate Hamas,” Fleming said. “But at the same time, we are trying to protect the Palestinians, the Gazans, as much as possible.”
Fleming likened the fight against Hamas to the United States’ war against ISIS extremists, saying, “Hamas is a terrorist organization just like ISIS.”
“They don’t want this war,” Fleming said. “They were attacked, people were taken hostage, women were raped and mutilated in the most vile and evil way.”
“While we believe in people’s right to protest and the First Amendment, we oppose attacking or harming anyone on either side to get their message across. But ultimately we are on Israel’s side,” Fleming said.
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Palestinians, including women and children, live in makeshift tents at the base of the wall separating the Gaza Strip and Egypt in Rafah, Gaza Strip, May 9, 2024. (Hani Alshael/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Israel is conducting military operations in Rafah, but Biden says it has not yet crossed any red lines in entering populated areas.
“Civilians are being killed in Gaza by bombs and other means aimed at populated areas,” Biden told CNN’s Erin Burnett. in an interview It was released on Wednesday.
“I think if they go into Rafah, they haven’t gone into Rafah yet, even if they go into Rafah, historically they have been used to deal with cities, to deal with Rafah. We’ve made it clear that we’re not going to supply the weapons that have come to the United States. We’re going to address that issue,” Biden said.
Biden added: “I made it very clear to Bibi and the War Cabinet that if they actually go into these populated areas, they’re not going to have our support.”
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Biden was criticized by Republicans last week after it was revealed that his administration had stalled arms shipments to Israel even after Congress passed a foreign aid package.
Anti-Israel protests have erupted on college campuses across the United States in recent weeks.
Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.
