House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Wednesday calling on the administration to do more to support Israel against Hamas and to secure the release of American and Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.
Johnson’s letter was sent by the Biden administration. Hospitalized It was Hamas, not Israel, that rejected any deal that would have resulted in a ceasefire and the release of at least some of the hostages, and Hamas wants Israel to end the war with any deal.
In letterIn an article first obtained through the news site Jewish Insider, Johnson said Biden’s current stance makes it more difficult and not easier to reach an agreement on the hostage release.
It has been eight months since Iranian-backed terrorists invaded Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis, taking 235 hostages, including American citizens, and committing acts of rape and other horrific atrocities in clear violation of international law and human rights.
Your failure to steadfastly support Israel’s military objective of eliminating Hamas has made it more difficult to facilitate the release of detainees, including the American hostages brutally abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Instead of focusing on bringing U.S. and Israeli hostages home, your Administration has spent months trying to pressure and micromanage Israel. The United States must do everything in its power to support Israel’s right to self-defense and work toward the immediate release of the remaining hostages, including U.S. citizens.
Since the October 7 massacre, decisions by your Administration have undermined Israeli efforts to bring American hostages home, weakened the U.S.-Israeli relationship, and weakened America’s ability to deter our enemies.
The letter said Biden has not demonstrated the “robust” commitment to Israel’s security that he promised early in the war, and called on the administration to “apply maximum pressure on Hamas and its supporters.”
Finally, Johnson called on the White House to report to him and other congressional leaders by July 10 on the administration’s plans to address the situation and what is being done to support Israel in its fight against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Joel B. Pollack is executive editor of Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday The show airs Sunday nights from 7 to 10 p.m. (4 to 7 p.m. ET) on SiriusXM Patriot. He is the author of his recently published e-book,Trumpian virtue: The lessons and legacy of Donald Trump’s presidency” is available on Audible. He is also the author of an e-book. Not Free or Fair: The 2020 US Presidential ElectionHe is the recipient of the Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship in 2018. Follow him on Twitter. Joel Pollack.
