Hamas picked a moment when Israel is deeply divided over domestic politics
Our Bureau
Washington, DC
Noted Indian Americans, including 2 prominent Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, support Israel after unprecedented attacks on it by the Hamas militant group that has left hundreds dead.
Hamas, a Palestinian militant group launched a barrage of rocket attacks in southern Israel on Saturday, killing over 600 people, including soldiers, and wounding more than 1,900.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in response launched multiple airstrikes targeting Hamas’ key infrastructure. About 1,000 people have been confirmed dead in Israel and Gaza in the biggest escalation in decades between the two sides.
“Hamas and the backers who support them, the Iranian regime, were chanting ‘Death to Israel, death to America’. That’s what we have to remember. We are united with Israel because Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the Iranian backers hate us,” said Republican presidential candidate Haley on Sunday, 8 October.
“We have to remember that what happened to Israel could happen here in America. And I hope that we all unite and stand with Israel because they really need us right now,” said Haley.
Ramaswamy, the other Indian American Republican candidate, said the key lesson for the US to learn from the attack on Israel was that it cannot be complacent about defending its own borders.
“If it can happen there, it can happen here. Our own border is near-completely porous right now. The Southern border is a disaster and I visited the Northern border yesterday, which is wide open for invasion. Hamas picked a moment when Israel is deeply divided over domestic politics, as we are now here at home,” he said.
