In response to the Biden administration’s “dysfunctional” handling of the recent Hamas-Israel conflict and caving in to pressure by left-wing Democrats, Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) stated that he was “deeply disturbed,” adding that the U.S. and Republicans such as himself will always have Israel’s back.
In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News on Thursday, the Republican congressman expressed his concerns over the current Middle-East conflict.
“I’m deeply disturbed by what’s going on in Israel,” he began.
“I’m a very strong supporter of Israel and I will continue to be a strong supporter of Israel,” he added. “I stand side by side with them.”
Referring to his recently sponsored resolution which has nearly one hundred co-sponsors, Van Drew described his consternation at the “disgusting and cowardly attacks by Hamas.”
“[The resolution] basically states that we have a social and religious connection with Israel,” he said. “Israel is a bastion of civilization in the Mid-East and, quite frankly, obviously I’m really disturbed.”
Van Drew then criticized President Joe Biden for his weak support for Israel, after President Trump had shown unwavering support for the Jewish state while achieving the historic “Abraham Accords” last September which have normalized relations between Israel and Arab states.
“I’m also disturbed [over the fact that] I don’t think the president has reacted to [Hamas attacks on Israel] as strongly as he should,” he said. “A number of months ago we were celebrating the Abraham Accords and now look where we are.”
According to Van Drew, President Biden’s handling of the recent Middle-East conflict is characteristic of the mishandling of so many other matters.
“It’s so similar to so many other issues,” he said. “Literally, issue after issue, our country is doing the wrong thing, going the wrong way, and just showing tremendous signs of weakness.”
“I’m deeply disturbed by that,” he added. “I don’t think this would happen under President Trump.”
Addressing the people of Israel that may feel that America no longer has their back, Van Drew had a message for them.
“America has their back and they better, and there’s still all the Republican Party solidly that has their back,” he said.
“Right now there are still enough Democrats,” he added. “It’s starting to drain down a little bit, unfortunately, because the president, I believe, hasn’t set that level of strengths where he lets Hamas know, lets the world know, [that] this is unacceptable activity, this is something that you cannot do.”
He continued to criticize President Biden’s weak support for Israel.
“It’s the way [President Biden] says it and what he says,” the New Jersey Republican said. “He says he supports Israel, but it’s not a way that makes you feel very confident.”
Van Drew then explained the significance of a nation’s strength.
“One of the most important things for a nation is to be strong,” he said, “and that’s why I almost feel in some ways that we’re becoming so dysfunctional.”
He also lamented that America, under President Biden, appears to have relinquished its role as a world leader.
“We should be number one in energy. We should be number one in the supply chain. We should be number one in manufacturing. We should be number one in supporting our police and the rule of law,” he said.
In contrast to the image conveyed by the Biden administration, Van Drew called for the U.S. to be an exemplary country.
“We should be an example of a country that always obeys the rule of law,” he said. “We should have strong families and strong faith, [a] strong education system and [instead] we’re just diminishing all of it.”
“I’ve never seen so much harm done in such a short period of time in my entire political career,” he added.
A former Democrat, Van Drew explained why he became a Republican.
“We all know a number of years ago I was a Democrat, but that’s why I left,” he said, “[because of] what we are going through right now. What’s happening to this country today is exactly why I just could not stomach it anymore, that I couldn’t stay.”
He also expressed his hope that decent Democrats join him.
“I know there’s a few other good people over there on the other side, and I frankly wish for their own sake they would change too,” he said, “because they’re backing things and supporting issues and supporting ideologies that are just not American.”
Describing the “strong religious, social, military, and educational ties” the U.S. has with Israel, Van Drew expressed his utter shock at the notion that a congressperson could call for cutting aid to the Jewish state.
“How do they say that? How do you say that as an American? How do you turn your back on a country like that?” he asked.
He then described how Democrats are attempting to weaken America’s global standing.
“We are at a time where our administration is trying to prove to the world that we are a much weaker and stupider nation than we are,” he said. “I don’t believe that will prevail.”
Van Drew also expressed his confidence that Republicans would achieve significant wins in the future.
“I believe that in a year and a half we’re going to win. We’re going to take over Congress and the Senate,” he said. “I think there’s gonna be a huge backlash. I think there are many Americans that are scared, and quiet, and aren’t saying anything, but they’re there and it’s real and it’s tangible.”
“We cannot change our country substantively from the great and wonderful place that it was,” he added. “So I’m not afraid. I’m gonna stand tall. Proud to be an American. I’m proud to be a Republican. I’m proud to believe in our country and its people.”
He continued by reiterating the need for strength and peace.
“Again, we have to be strong. We need a strong military,” he said. “The world respects strength and peace.”
“Peace is a good thing,” he added. “Through strength, you gain peace. The Abraham Accords show that.”
Van Drew concluded by calling for the U.S. to return to better days.
“Bring [the] America that we know and love back,” he said.
Last Friday, joined by 53 of his colleagues, Van Drew introduced H. Res. 396 which reaffirms U.S. support for Israel while condemning the deadly rocket attacks of the Islamic terrorist organization Hamas.
“The disgusting and cowardly attacks by Hamas deserve a swift and just response. The U.S. must continue supporting Israel militarily and economically to ensure the safety and security of the people of Israel. Now is the time for Democrats and Republicans to join in solidarity in defense of Israel,” Van Drew said.
Van Drew defected from the Democrat Party last year due to its direction. “The party had moved from liberal to radical,” he said.
More than 4,000 rockets have been launched at Israel from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip over the last ten days. In response to Hamas aggression, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has carried out massive retaliatory strikes against terror targets throughout the coastal enclave. According to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, over 230 Palestinians have been killed.
Israel says more than 150 were terrorists from Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups. Many Palestinians were also killed by errant Hamas rockets.
Twelve people in Israel, including a five-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, have been killed by rockets, and hundreds more have been injured.
After mounting pressure from Democrats, President Biden walked back his support for Israel’s response to indiscriminate rocket fire at civilians, expressing his desire for an Israeli ceasefire of operations against the Gaza-based terrorist Hamas group instead.
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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