05.23.24

Hoeven Calls on Biden Administration to Deliver Military Assistance to Israel Without Hesitation

Senator Stresses Importance of Empowering the Full Defeat of Hamas to Prevent Future Conflict

WASHINGTON – During remarks delivered on the floor of the U.S. Senate this week, Senator John Hoeven outlined the importance of delivering military assistance to Israel and ensuring the full defeat of Hamas. The senator pushed back on the Biden administration’s decision to withhold weapon systems and other assistance to Israel and highlighted two pieces of legislation he is cosponsoring to strengthen U.S. support for this critical ally:

  • The Israel Security Assistance Support Act, legislation sponsored by Senator Tom Cotton to:
    • Force the Biden administration to complete the delivery of weapons to Israel.
    • Cancel the salaries of any Biden administration official at the Department of Defense or Department of State who take any action to withhold the delivery of weapons to Israel.
  • The Assuring Resupply of Munitions (ARM) Act, legislation being introduced by Senator Ted Cruz to:
    • Forbid the administration from pausing weapons shipments to Israel.
    • Keep this mandate in place for a year after hostilities have ceased.

“On October 7, Hamas committed appalling atrocities against Jews in southern Israel. I went to Israel one month later to show my support for our close ally during this very dark hour. I am still proud to stand with Israel. But I am very concerned about the Biden administration’s decision to hold up weapons that need to be delivered to Israel,” said Hoeven. “If we truly mean “never again” then the only path forward is for Israel to win the war. And that is why it is so important that we give Israel the tools it needs to win the war as soon as possible. Destroying Hamas means allowing Israel to reestablish security for its people. Destroying Hamas also means it can no longer terrorize and repress the people of Gaza. If we are concerned about the lives of Jews and Gazans, the sooner Hamas is defeated, the better.

“Putting limits on military assistance only means prolonging a conflict that Israel must win, with greater loss of life among both Israelis and Gazans. Delaying or halting military aid also sends the wrong message to both our allies and our adversaries. Our allies, like Israel, rightly wonder whether U.S. promises will be kept when times get tough. Our adversaries, like Hamas and Iran, wonder whether they can manipulate us into failure. When we hesitate to keep our promises and give our enemies the chance to regroup, we incentivize the very behaviors we say we oppose.

“If Hamas survives, it will certainly seize more hostages in the future. If Hamas survives, it will keep using innocent civilians as shields. If Hamas survives, it will see October 7 as a triumph rather than a disaster. The administration may believe that pausing military assistance will save lives or limit suffering, but it will only sowing the seeds of future conflict. There is no substitute for victory over Hamas. Congress has provided the resources to support our ally Israel, and I call upon the administration to keep our promises, to act according to the will of the American people and to accept nothing less than the complete destruction of Hamas.”

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