Will Iran’s Brazen Attack On Israel Finally Convince Democrats And President Biden To Drop The Unhinged Rhetoric They’ve Aimed At Israel Recently?

Research | The Leader Board | THE NEWSROOM | Republican LeaderSkip to primary navigation Skip to content×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER McCONNELL×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER McCONNELLxxsearchxMENUFacebookTwitterInstagramFacebookTwitterInstagramVisit Senator McConnell's site here THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER McCONNELLxxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMThe Leader Board04.16.24Will Iran’s Brazen Attack On Israel Finally Convince Democrats And President Biden To Drop The Unhinged Rhetoric They’ve Aimed At Israel Recently?The Deterrence Failure And ‘New Strategic Reality’ Marked By Iran’s Weekend Assault Should Get Democrats In Congress And The Biden Administration To End The Months Of Outrageous Behavior And Harsh Rhetoric Directed Towards Israel, Yet Biden Has Already Started Telling The Israelis What Not To DoSENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “In response to Iran’s massive attack against Israel over the weekend, we saw two things: First, we saw a sovereign nation that takes its security seriously mount a successful defense. Israel’s air defenses, with the help of regional and coalition partners and the vigilant support of brave U.S. servicemembers in the region, intercepted and neutralized the bulk of the 300 drones and missiles launched by Iran. Unfortunately, the second thing we saw was a Commander-in-Chief sticking to the same playbook – second-guessing the will of the Israeli people and trying to tie the hands of an ally under attack. President Biden insisted ahead of Iran’s attack that America’s commitment to Israel was ‘ironclad’. But after three years of appeasement and weakness, and six months of quibbling over Israel’s right to self-defense, I’m not really sure who he expects to believe that assertion. Just saying our commitment is ironclad doesn’t make it so. Words don’t paper over the glaring rifts between the Biden Administration and the national unity government in Jerusalem. The public criticism of Israel by senior Administration officials undoubtedly influences the decisions of Israel’s adversaries. If the President’s commitment to a vital ally were ‘ironclad’, his response to this weekend’s attack would not be to lecture her leaders against responding in self-defense.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 4/15/2024)·         LEADER McCONNELL: “Make absolutely no mistake: Iran is not deterred. It is emboldened. The regime that attacked Israel this weekend is the same one that green-lit the violent hijacking of a commercial shipping vessel earlier that same day. It’s the same Iran that trains, equips, sustains, and expends terrorists proxies from Lebanon to Gaza to Iraq and Syria to Yemen. It’s the same regime that continues to grow an arsenal of long-range ballistic missiles and advance closer and closer to a nuclear weapons capability. And, of course, it’s the same murderous regime that continues to equip Russia’s brutal violence in Ukraine. It is no mere coincidence that the mixed barrage of UAVs, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles designed to complicate Israeli air defenses is the same mix Russia uses to launch devastating and frequent long-range attacks against Ukrainian cities. [O]ur adversaries are working together to make America and our friends less safe and less secure.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 4/15/2024)·         LEADER McCONNELL: “[I]t’s time for the Commander-in-Chief to stand by our allies and stand up to our adversaries. He can begin to do that today. But it’s also time for Congress to deliver the urgent investments that our industrial base, our forces, and our partners will need to meet and out-compete the growing and linked threats we face. The Senate passed an urgent national security supplemental two months ago. It would help meet the urgent needs of Ukraine’s resistance, equip Indo-Pacific allies to deter PRC aggression, replenish Israel’s stocks of critical capabilities, and expand our own capacity to refill and deploy the arsenal of democracy. Anyone taking the challenges we face seriously knows that these unmet needs are urgent. So I’ll once again urge our House colleagues to take up this legislation without delay.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 4/15/2024)SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE RANKING MEMBER ROGER WICKER (R-MS): “This is the moment for the United States to show we stand together with our allies. Our shared enemies, including Iran and their proxies, need to know our commitment is unwavering. We must join with Israel to ensure that Iran’s aggression is met with resolute action and resounding strength.” (Sen. Wicker, Press Release, 4/13/2024)SEN. TOM COTTON (R-AR), Senate Armed Services & Intelligence Committees Member: “President Biden telling Israel not to respond after Iran’s attack is shameful and strategically wrong. America should fully support Israel, not undermine it.” (Sen. Cotton, @SenTomCotton, Twitter, 4/15/2024)·         SEN. COTTON: “[O]f course President Biden is wrong telling Israel that they shouldn’t respond. Imagine America getting 300 drones and missiles shot at our homeland and having a country telling us not to respond. Now, it’s up to Prime Minister Netanyahu and his war cabinet, and ultimately, the elected government and people of Israel about how and when they respond. It’s hard to imagine this doesn’t steel their resolve to finish the job against Hamas in Gaza …” (Fox News, 4/15/2024)THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD: “Iran’s drone and missile assault on Israel Saturday night into Sunday is an open act of aggression, but it isn’t the start of this conflict. It’s an escalation of the war Iran has been waging against Israel for months through its Middle East proxies. The difference now is that Iran’s imperialistic face is in the open rather than in the shadows, and that should change calculations in Washington in particular.” (Editorial, “Iran’s Ominous Attack on Israel,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/14/2024)·         “This is another case of failed U.S. deterrence. President Biden had warned Iran not to attack after U.S. intelligence detected signs of preparation in Tehran. ‘Don’t,’ Mr. Biden said. But like Vladimir Putin in Ukraine, Iran went ahead anyway, no doubt confident that Mr. Biden wouldn’t respond militarily. And sure enough, the word Sunday is that his main message in a call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Saturday was not to strike back.” (Editorial, “Iran’s Ominous Attack on Israel,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/14/2024)·         “‘Take the win,’ Mr. Biden reportedly told Mr. Netanyahu. But is it a win if Iran can directly attack Israel without consequences? Israel shouldn’t have to wait in a defensive crouch until Iran decides to attack again. Israel is justified in attacking Iran’s assets, including military targets in Iran.” (Editorial, “Iran’s Ominous Attack on Israel,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/14/2024)THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD: “The attack should at least cause Mr. Biden and his fellow Democrats to end their cold war with Israel over Gaza and recognize that this is really a war against Iran. The vocal Democratic threats against Israel likely gave Iran more confidence it could strike without consequences. Appeasing the left by threatening to cut off arms to Israel is a betrayal and will invite more Iranian escalation.” (Editorial, “Iran’s Ominous Attack on Israel,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/14/2024)·         “Abandoning an ally in wartime is an invitation to its enemies…. Yet Mr. Biden and Democrats continued to distance America from Israel. The Biden Administration may have thought its anti-Israel turn would bring the fighting to a close, but it increased the risk of an even larger war with Iran.” (Editorial, “Biden Remembers That Iran Is Listening,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/2024) This Weekend’s Attack On Israel By Iran Marked ‘A New Strategic Reality’‘Saturday’s Iranian Strike On Israel Was Huge By Any Standard’ … ‘A New Strategic Reality’“Saturday’s Iranian strike on Israel was huge by any standard. Tehran launched more than 170 explosive-laden drones, around 120 ballistic missiles and about 30 cruise missiles, according to Israel. The damage could have been catastrophic. As it turned out, almost all were intercepted.” (“Analysis: Israel Repelled Iran’s Huge Attack. But Only With Help From U.S. and Arab Partners,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/14/2024)·         “Iran’s weekend aerial attack on Israel was designed to cause mass casualties and infrastructure damage, senior U.S. officials said, an assessment that complicates deliberations on how to respond to Tehran and its military allies in the coming weeks.” (“Iran Sought Mass Casualties In Israel Strike, U.S. Officials Say,” Semafor, 4/14/2024)“[A] new strategic reality, created by Iran’s first direct military attack on Israeli territory since the Islamic revolution of 1979.” (“Analysis: Israel Repelled Iran’s Huge Attack. But Only With Help From U.S. and Arab Partners,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/14/2024)·         “But Israeli government officials said that Tehran had crossed a clear red line by attacking Israel directly from Iranian soil for the first time in history. They also said the nature of the targets — believed to be major civilian areas and military infrastructure —required a response if their country is to restore deterrence against Iran and its regional allies.” (“Iran Sought Mass Casualties In Israel Strike, U.S. Officials Say,” Semafor, 4/14/2024)‘The Design Of Iran’s Strike Replicated In Many Ways Some Of The Biggest Russian Attacks In Ukraine’“The design of Iran’s strike replicated in many ways some of the biggest Russian attacks in Ukraine: first a swarm of slow-moving Shahed drones intended to overwhelm air defenses and to identify the locations of air-defense batteries, then cruise missiles and then a volley of faster ballistic missiles that are notoriously hard to intercept.” (“Analysis: Israel Repelled Iran’s Huge Attack. But Only With Help From U.S. and Arab Partners,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/14/2024)·         “Interceptors, particularly the Arrow and Patriot systems used against ballistic missiles, are extremely expensive and are limited in quantity. The U.S. Congress, by stalling the military aid package for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, has created an additional complication.” (“Analysis: Israel Repelled Iran’s Huge Attack. But Only With Help From U.S. and Arab Partners,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/14/2024)‘Iran’s Retaliatory Attack On Israel Over Its Killing Of A Top General Already Has Flipped The Script In The United States’“Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel over its killing of a top general already has flipped the script in the United States, with focus shifting to backing the Jewish state rather than using diplomatic leverage to alter its approach in Gaza. Biden administration officials in recent weeks had been publicly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct of the war on Hamas inside Gaza.” (“Iranian Retaliatory Attack On Israel Flips Script As Biden Had Pressed For Changes In Gaza,” Roll Call, 4/14/2024)·         “Circumstances have again toggled Washington back to sending more carrots — weapons — to Israel after Biden and his senior national security lieutenants were vaguely threatening to use sticks to compel Netanyahu to change course in Gaza.” (“Iranian Retaliatory Attack On Israel Flips Script As Biden Had Pressed For Changes In Gaza,” Roll Call, 4/14/2024) Yet The Biden Administration Has Gone Right Back To Telling The Israelis What Not To Do‘“Take The Win,” Biden Told Netanyahu’“The Biden administration on Sunday congratulated Israel — along with itself and allies — on their ‘spectacular’ success in fending off an unprecedented barrage of more than 300 Iranian missiles and armed drones, even as it made clear its desire for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government to declare victory and refrain from striking back…. [A senior administration] official and others who spoke in official briefings, background interviews and on television throughout the day, emphasized that the United States would not participate in any offensive Israeli response against Iran…. After congratulating Netanyahu, Biden noted that their success had created ‘space and flexibility for decisions on next steps.’ He advised Israel to ‘slow things down and think through’ how to respond.” (“Biden Counsels Netanyahu To ‘Slow Things Down’ After Iranian Attack,” The Washington Post, 4/14/2024)“President Biden told Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a call on Saturday that the U.S. won't support any Israeli counterattack against Iran, a senior White House official told Axios.” (“Scoop: Biden Told Bibi U.S. Won't Support An Israeli Counterattack On Iran,” Axios, 4/14/2024)·         “Biden told Netanyahu the joint defensive efforts by Israel, the U.S. and other countries in the region led to the failure of the Iranian attack, according to the White House official. ‘You got a win. Take the win,’ Biden told Netanyahu, according to the official.” (“Scoop: Biden Told Bibi U.S. Won't Support An Israeli Counterattack On Iran,” Axios, 4/14/2024) Before The Iranian Attack, President Biden Was Encouraged To Turn On Israel By Increasingly Unhinged Statements From Democrats In Congress And Calls To Condition Or Outright Block Aid To America’s Closest Ally In The Middle EastSENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “Unfortunately, the Democratic Party has become unmoored from a long tradition of bipartisan support for Israel. And according to one headline this week, ‘Democrats fear Netanyahu may have undermined Biden’s image among voters’. Apparently, the left-wing activists who can’t seem to distinguish between terrorism and self-defense aren’t just calling the shots at the White House, but also on the President’s re-election campaign. They don’t seem to care that it isn’t just a sovereign ally’s leader they disagree with, but the overwhelming majority of the Israeli public who believe Hamas must be defeated. Meanwhile, President Biden is reportedly taking a cue from the odious ‘Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions’ movement and considering labeling goods from Israeli settlement communities in order to ramp up its pressure on the Israeli government. Of course, this sounds like child’s play alongside the claim one of our own Senate colleagues made just yesterday – that on legal grounds, Israel’s campaign against Hamas is genocide. What on earth should other friends of America think when they see the way we treat allies under attack?” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 4/09/2024)THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD: “Democrats claim to be looking out for Israel’s best interests, but that’s for Israelis to decide. The threats to withhold weapons from an ally must overjoy Hamas, whose strategy of hiding behind civilian deaths is the real source of Gaza’s humanitarian tragedy.” (Editorial, “Democrats Play Into Hamas’s Hands,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/07/2024)·         “This pressure from his left explains Mr. Biden’s sharp turn against Israel’s elected coalition government, with his own implied threat of a weapons cutoff. Never mind that denying weapons to an ally in the middle of a war is the definition of betrayal. The growing Democratic animosity toward Israel may even endanger the party’s support in the House for the Ukraine-Israeli aid bill...” (Editorial, “Democrats Play Into Hamas’s Hands,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/07/2024)·         “A week ago Mr. Biden threatened to withdraw support for the Israeli war effort. On Tuesday Univision aired an interview in which the President seemed to call for a unilateral Israeli cease-fire, without mentioning the hostages. The message was that the U.S. is turning against Israel.” (Editorial, “Biden Remembers That Iran Is Listening,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/11/2024)‘Unconditional Democratic Support For Israel Has Started To Wane’ As Democrat Senators Heap Blame On Israel For The War Hamas Brutally Started“Unconditional Democratic support for Israel has started to wane as both the White House and top congressional leaders have soured on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the war.” (“Biden Ally Coons Open To Putting Conditions On Aid To Israel,” Axios, 4/04/2024)·         “Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) took the unprecedented step last month of calling for elections in Israel, a major sign of Senate Democratic distaste for Netanyahu's government. While some danced around the idea of calling for elections, many Democrats embraced Schumer's criticism of Netanyahu.” (“Biden Ally Coons Open To Putting Conditions On Aid To Israel,” Axios, 4/04/2024)SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA): “I think it is clear that Congress has a responsibility to act. We have legal tools here. And as I said, we cannot approve the sale of arms to a country that is in violation of our own laws on this.” (“Warren Says She Would Move To Block Sale Of F-15s To Israel,” The Hill, 4/04/2024)·         “Sen. Elizabeth Warren believes international officials could find that Israel’s assault on Gaza legally constitutes a genocide, she said during an event at a local mosque last week. ‘If you want to do it as an application of law, I believe that they’ll find that it is genocide, and they have ample evidence to do so,’ Warren (D-Mass.) said Friday while taking audience questions during an event at the Islamic Center of Boston in Wayland, Massachusetts.” (“Elizabeth Warren Says She Believes Israel’s War In Gaza Will Legally Be Considered A Genocide,” Politico, 4/08/2024)·         WARREN: “When it comes to military aid to Israel, the U.S. cannot write a blank check for a right-wing government that's demonstrated an appalling disregard for Palestinian lives. The U.S. should use all the tools at its disposal to condition aid & move the parties toward a lasting peace.” (Sen. Warren, @SenWarren, Twitter, 1/04/2024)SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D-MD): “I think what the president is saying now is, ‘no more blank check … A lot of these conversations have happened behind closed doors … But I think elevating these to the public domain would be important.” (Politico’s “Playbook,” 4/05/2024)·         “Sen. Chris Van Hollen is mulling legislation to potentially block the sale of F-15 jets and munitions to Israel in order to hold it accountable for its actions in Gaza. ‘It means making sure we are ready to proceed with that option should we decide to use it,’ Van Hollen (D-Md.) said in an interview Tuesday.” (“Van Hollen Considering Move To Block Sale Of F-15s To Israel,” Politico Pro, 4/09/2024)·         “More than a dozen Senate Democrats are pushing to condition U.S. military aid for Israel … Progressive senators led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) introduced an amendment to the Israel-Ukraine-Taiwan supplemental funding bill that imposes these conditions. The proposal requires a report to Congress on each country’s use of U.S.-supplied weapons.” (Punchbowl News AM, 12/08/2023)SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): “To my mind, Israel should not be getting another nickel in military aid until these policies are fundamentally changed…” (“US Awaits Netanyahu’s Response After Biden’s Ultimatum,” CNN, 4/05/2024)·         “Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called on Congress [January 2nd] to hold back more than $10 billion in military funding for Israel, warning it would be used to fund the Israeli government’s ‘grossly disproportionate’ and ‘immoral’ war in Gaza.” (The Hill, 1/02/2024)·         SANDERS PRESS RELEASE: ‘Senator Bernie Sanders Calls For NO MORE U.S. Funding For Netanyahu’s Illegal And Immoral War Against The Palestinian People’ (Sen. Sanders, Press Release, 1/02/2024)·         SANDERS: “Congress is working to pass a supplemental funding bill that includes $10 billion of unconditional military aid for the right-wing Netanyahu government to continue its brutal war against the Palestinian people. Enough is enough. Congress must reject that funding. The taxpayers of the United States must no longer be complicit in destroying the lives of innocent men, women, and children in Gaza.” (Sen. Sanders, Press Release, 1/02/2024)SEN. PETER WELCH (D-VT): “[H]e’s [President Biden] moved from quiet discussion with Prime Minister Netanyahu to public statements of disapproval … The next step is explicit action.” (NBC News, 4/05/2024)SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): “If Benjamin Netanyahu were to order the IDF into Rafah at scale ... and make no provision for civilians or for humanitarian aid, I would vote to condition aid to Israel…” (“Biden Ally Coons Open To Putting Conditions On Aid To Israel,” Axios, 4/04/2024)“Tim Kaine, Democrats' vice presidential nominee in 2016 and a leading voice in the party on foreign policy, delivered a rare rebuke of the Biden administration's approach to Israel on Friday…” (“Kaine, Sanders Push Biden To Get Tougher With Israel,” Politico, 4/05/2024)·         “Kaine praised President Joe Biden for nudging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘to open another border crossing from Israel to allow robust delivery of humanitarian aid. But this was an obvious solution that should have happened months ago.’ He added that the Biden administration should prioritize giving Israel defensive weapons while ‘withholding bombs and other offensive weapons that can kill and wound civilians and humanitarian aid workers.’” (“Kaine, Sanders Push Biden To Get Tougher With Israel,” Politico, 4/05/2024)·         “Biden’s ‘current approach,’ Kaine added, ‘is not working.’” (“Democrats Fear Netanyahu May Have Undermined Biden’s Image Among Voters,” Politico, 4/07/2024)A Number of House Democrats Are Going Even Further, Urging Halts To Weapons Sales To Israel“Several dozen Democratic members of Congress have sent a letter to US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for a halt on arms transfers to Israel following an IDF strike in Gaza that killed seven staffers of World Central Kitchen, including a dual US citizen. ‘In light of this incident, we strongly urge you to reconsider your recent decision to authorize the transfer of a new arms package to Israel, and to withhold this and any future offensive arms transfers until a full investigation into the airstrike is completed,’ the House representatives write, ‘We also urge you to withhold these transfers if Israel fails to sufficiently mitigate harm to innocent civilians in Gaza, including aid workers, and if it fails to facilitate — or arbitrarily denies or restricts the transport and delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza.’” (“Pelosi Joins House Democrats Urging Biden To Halt Arms Transfers To Israel,” The Times Of Israel, 4/06/2024)·         “Most of the signatories were from the Democrat’s left flank but also include former speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, suggesting support for stopping weapons deliveries to Israel is increasingly becoming mainstream among Democrats.” (“Pelosi Joins House Democrats Urging Biden To Halt Arms Transfers To Israel,” The Times Of Israel, 4/6/2024)“A key House Democrat reviewed Israel's assurances on following international law in Gaza but still came away without giving his approval for Israel's purchase of F-15 fighter jets, Axios has learned. Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) faces pressure from ‘at least a dozen’ Democrats on his committee to exercise his power to effectively block the deal, according to a lawmaker familiar with the matter.” (“Israeli Assurances Fail To Move Key Democrat On F-15 Deal.” Axios, 4/12/2024)19 House Democrats are cosponsoring a resolution “[c]alling for an immediate deescalation and cease-fire in Israel and occupied Palestine.” (H. Res. 786, 118th Congress)·         Incredibly, this resolution was introduced on October 16th, just TWO WEEKS after Hamas terrorists murdered over a thousand Israeli civilians. (H. Res. 786, 118th Congress)·         The ceasefire resolution is sponsored by Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) and cosponsored by Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Andre Carson (D-IN), Summer Lee (D-PA), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Greg Casar (D-TX), Alma Adams (D-NC), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), and Hank Johnson (D-GA). (H. Res. 786, 118th Congress)Left-Wing Pressure Groups Are Also Demanding Biden ‘End Military Aid To Israel’“A coalition of a dozen liberal organizations and labor unions sent a letter to the White House on Thursday night demanding that President Biden end military aid to Israel until its government lifts restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza, the latest indicator of shifting mainstream Democratic opinion on the war.” (“Democratic Coalition Sends Biden a Demand on Military Aid to Israel,” The New York Times, 4/12/2024)·         “The group includes not only progressive groups like MoveOn and the Working Families Party, but also the mainstream Democratic Center for American Progress and NextGen America, the organization founded and funded by Tom Steyer, a billionaire who ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary. Other signatories to the letter include the Service Employees International Union and the National Education Association, labor unions that make up key elements of the Democratic Party.” (“Democratic Coalition Sends Biden a Demand on Military Aid to Israel,” The New York Times, 4/12/2024) Leading Up To Iran’s Attack, The Biden Administration Behaved Outrageously Towards IsraelLEADER McCONNELL: “The Jewish state of Israel deserves an ally that acts like one. The people of Israel, at home and in captivity, deserve America’s support. And Israel’s unity government and security cabinet deserve the deference befitting a sovereign, democratic country. The primary ‘obstacles to peace’ in Israel’s region are genocidal terrorists like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad who slaughter innocent people and corrupt leaders of the Palestinian Authority who have repeatedly rejected peace deals from multiple Israeli governments…. We should not treat fellow democracies this way at all. Things that upset left-wing activists are not a prime minister’s policies – they are Israel’s policies. Make no mistake – the Democratic Party doesn’t have an anti-Bibi problem. It has an anti-Israel problem. Israel is not a colony of America whose leaders serve at the pleasure of the party in power in Washington.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 3/14/2024)“The [Iranian] attack on Israel came after weeks of Biden ratcheting up pressure on the Jewish state to scale back its Gaza military operations.” (“Israel Had Created Enormous Political Trouble for Biden. Then Iran Attacked.,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/15/2024)A Month After Hamas’ Oct 7th Attack, Biden Understood That ‘To Hamas’s Members, Every Cease-Fire Is Time They Exploit To Rebuild Their Stockpile Of Rockets, Reposition Fighters And Restart The Killing By Attacking Innocents Again’PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: “We stand firmly with the Israeli people as they defend themselves against the murderous nihilism of Hamas. On Oct. 7, Hamas slaughtered 1,200 people, including 35 American citizens, in the worst atrocity committed against the Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust…. As long as Hamas clings to its ideology of destruction, a cease-fire is not peace. To Hamas’s members, every cease-fire is time they exploit to rebuild their stockpile of rockets, reposition fighters and restart the killing by attacking innocents again. An outcome that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza would once more perpetuate its hate and deny Palestinian civilians the chance to build something better for themselves.” (President Biden, Op-Ed, “The U.S. Won’t Back Down From The Challenge Of Putin And Hamas,” The Washington Post, 11/18/2023)·         BIDEN: “With regard to when is this going to stop, I think it’s going to stop when the — when Hamas no longer maintains the capacity to murder and abuse and — and just do horrific things to the Israelis…. But Hamas, as I said, said they plan on attacking the Israelis again.  And this is a terrible dilemma…. Hamas said they plan on doing the same thing again … what they did on the 7th. They’re going to go in — they want to slaughter Israelis. They want to do it again.  And they’ve said it out loud.  They’re not even kidding about it. They’re not backing off. And so, I just asked the rhetorical question, ‘I wonder what we would do if that were the case?’” (President Biden, Press Conference, 11/16/2023)But Recently The President Was Publicly Demanding An Unconditional Ceasefire“President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when they spoke on Thursday that ‘an immediate ceasefire’ is needed to ‘protect innocent civilians’ in Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation, the White House said…. Biden is making his strongest push for an end to the fighting in Gaza in six months of war, and warning for the first time that U.S. policy on the war will depend on Israel's adherence to his demands.” (“Biden's Ultimatum To Bibi: Change Gaza Policy Or We Will,” Axios, 4/04/2024)·         “Biden’s warning was followed by pointed demands for immediate changes in Israel’s conduct of the war by other administration officials. ‘If we don’t see the changes that we need to see, there will be changes in our own policy,’ Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference in Brussels.” (“Biden Ties Support for Israel to Civilian Protection in Gaza,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/04/2024)“The statement represented the Biden administration’s toughest verbal pressure on Netanyahu since the war began in October and one of the biggest public ruptures between a U.S. administration and Israel in decades.” (“Biden Ties Support for Israel to Civilian Protection in Gaza,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/04/2024)‘Pressure From Democrats In Congress Could Lead The Administration To Possibly Delay The Delivery Of Certain Offensive Weapons Or Military Assistance’“Pressure from Democrats in Congress could lead the administration to possibly delay the delivery of certain offensive weapons or military assistance, congressional aides said.” (NBC News, 4/05/2024) “In a phone call with Netanyahu on Thursday, Biden strongly implied that Washington was prepared to condition military assistance to Israel over how it addresses the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and cease-fire talks, according to two U.S. officials.” (NBC News, 4/05/2024) ·         “‘This week could be a turning point,’ one congressional official said.” (NBC News, 4/05/2024) “Mounting tensions with the Biden administration are limiting Israel’s options over the final battle for Rafah, the Gazan city that borders Egypt and where Israel says Hamas has four remaining battalions.” (“In Six Months, Everything Has Changed for Israel,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/07/2024)·         VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: “We have been clear in multiple conversations and in every way that any major military operation in Rafah would be a huge mistake … Let me tell you something. I have studied the maps.” (“Kamala Harris Is Noncommittal On Gaza, The Border And Tiktok,” The New York Times, 3/24/2024)In March, For The First Time Since October 7, The Biden Administration Allowed An Anti-Israel Resolution To Pass The UN Security CouncilTHE WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD: “In his State of the Union address, President Biden made a promise to the families of U.S. hostages held by Hamas: ‘We will not rest until we bring their loved ones home.’ At the United Nations on [in March], he undermined that pledge. The U.S. withheld its veto and abstained as the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution that demanded a cease-fire in Gaza but didn’t make the cease-fire contingent on Hamas releasing its 134 hostages. That condition, on which the U.S. had previously insisted, has been dropped.” (Editorial, “Biden Abstains on Israel and Hamas,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/25/2024) ·         “Mr. Biden’s initial support for destroying Hamas has faded, such that Vice President Kamala Harris now refuses to rule out ‘consequences’ should Israel invade Hamas’s last stronghold of Rafah. Administration leaks about international isolation and weapons embargoes drive home the point. If Mr. Biden thinks his escalating fight with Israel is risk-free, think again. The March Harvard CAPS Harris poll finds that 63% of voters support a cease-fire only after Hamas releases the hostages and is removed from power. Two-thirds say Israel is trying to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza. Americans don’t want to see Hamas survive to repeat Oct. 7. The President can’t become Obstacle No. 1 to an Israeli victory without endangering his own in November.” (Editorial, “Biden Abstains on Israel and Hamas,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/25/2024) “And the U.S. abstained from a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, clearing the measure’s approval and prompting Israel to withdraw from coming high-level meetings with the Biden administration.” (“Biden’s Approach to Gaza Conflict Angers Both Sides at Home,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/3/2024) ·         “The resolution also did not include a condemnation of Hamas and did not link as strongly a cease-fire with the release of hostages — both items the U.S. had wanted.” (“US Allows Passage Of UN Resolution Calling For Cease-Fire In Gaza, Prompting Retaliation From Israel,” Politico, 3/25/2024) “Last week, leaders from the Jewish Federations of North America voiced concern in a meeting with White House and National Security Council officials that the administration’s rhetoric criticizing Israel was endangering Jewish people in America, according to a person familiar with the matter.” (“Biden’s Approach to Gaza Conflict Angers Both Sides at Home,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/03/2024)Secretary Of State Antony Blinken Even Shamefully Declared That Israel Could Be ‘Indistinguishable’ From HamasSECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN: “Israel is a democracy; Hamas, a terrorist organization. And democracies place the highest value on human life – every human life. As has been said, whoever saves a life, saves the entire world. That’s our strength. It’s what distinguishes us from terrorists like Hamas.  If we lose that reverence for human life, we risk becoming indistinguishable from those we confront.” (Sec. Blinken, Press Conference, 4/04/2024)The White House Has Spent Months Telling Any Reporter Who Will Listen About Biden’s ‘Anger’ And Outrage With The Israeli Government, Hurling Invective, Insults, And ‘Contemptuous References’“Mr. Biden has increasingly taken a harder stance with Israel’s government…” (“How Gaza Protesters Are Challenging Democratic Leaders,” The New York Times, 4/07/2024)DECEMBER: “The consequences of the distrust between President Biden and Netanyahu, who have spoken 19 times since Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault, have grown only starker in recent days…. In a tense phone call Sunday over the potential for a full-scale Rafah invasion, Biden pushed Netanyahu to continue negotiations for a hostage release…. Tensions between Biden and Netanyahu had been rising for months…. The relationship reached a boiling point later [in December], according to U.S. and Israeli officials, when Biden abruptly ended their Christmas-week call following a tense exchange about civilian casualties and, in Washington’s view, the need for Israel to shift to a new phase in its war, focused on targeted operations. Biden, who was so angry that he was almost shouting in the Dec. 28 call, according to officials, declared the conversation ‘over’ and hung up.” (“Biden-Netanyahu Relationship at Boiling Point as Rafah Invasion Looms,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/15/2024)JANUARY: “President Biden and other senior U.S. officials are becoming increasingly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rejection of most of the administration's recent requests related to the war in Gaza, four U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the issue told Axios…. [B]ehind the scenes, there are growing signs that Biden is losing his patience, the U.S. officials said. ‘The situation sucks and we are stuck. The president's patience is running out,’ one U.S. official told Axios.” (“Biden ‘Running Out’ Of Patience With Bibi As Gaza War Hits 100 Days,” Axios, 1/14/2024)FEBRUARY: “President Biden and his top aides are closer to a breach with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than at any time since the Gaza War began … The mounting frustration with Netanyahu has prompted some of Biden’s aides to urge him to be more publicly critical of the prime minister over his country’s military operation in Gaza, according to six people familiar with the conversations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations…. Biden’s private frustration with Netanyahu — which has been building for months — was on display Thursday when he said Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has been ‘over the top,’ his sharpest rebuke yet.” (“Biden Moving Closer Than Ever To A Breach With Netanyahu Over War In Gaza,” The Washington Post, 2/11/2024)“President Joe Biden has been venting his frustration in recent private conversations, some of them with campaign donors, over his inability to persuade Israel to change its military tactics in the Gaza Strip … His descriptions of his dealings with Netanyahu are peppered with contemptuous references to Netanyahu as ‘this guy,’ these people said. And in at least three recent instances, Biden has called Netanyahu an ‘asshole,’ according to three of the people directly familiar with his comments.” (“Biden Disparages Netanyahu In Private But Hasn’t Significantly Changed U.S. Policy Toward Israel And Gaza,” NBC News, 2/12/2024)MARCH: “President Biden on Friday praised Senator Chuck Schumer’s address lashing out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, calling it ‘a good speech’ that raised concerns ‘shared not only by him but by many Americans.’ Even though Mr. Biden did not explicitly endorse any of the specific criticisms in the speech, or Mr. Schumer’s call for elections to replace Mr. Netanyahu, the president’s comments were the latest step in his escalating public critique of the Israeli prime minister…. Mr. Biden could have asked Mr. Schumer to hold back, so that he did not endanger the president’s future ability to deal with Mr. Netanyahu, with whom he now barely speaks. He could have said the United States should not express an opinion on the inner workings of Israel’s democratic processes. He did none of that. Lawmakers and aides who have spoken with Mr. Biden in recent weeks say his anger at Mr. Netanyahu is now eating away at his reluctance to go public with his critiques.” (“Biden Embraces Schumer’s Speech Castigating Netanyahu,” The New York Times, 3/15/2024)“In recent weeks, after months of Netanyahu openly defying Biden’s calls for restraint in Gaza, the president launched an unprecedented and very public pressure campaign…. he told MSNBC that Netanyahu was ‘hurting Israel more than helping Israel,’ all the while reportedly fuming in private about what an ‘asshole’ Netanyahu had become…. Earlier this month, after his State of the Union speech, Biden said it was finally time to have a ‘come to Jesus’ talk with Netanyahu, and in recent days he praised Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for effectively advocating Netanyahu’s ouster.” (“From ‘I Love You’ to ‘Asshole’: How Joe Gave Up on Bibi,” Politico Magazine, 3/22/2024)APRIL: “President Biden's phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned for Thursday morning is expected to be tense as Biden is ‘outraged’ … Biden is pissed. The temperature regarding Bibi is very high,’ one U.S. official said. A second U.S. official confirmed that is the atmosphere at the White House ahead of the call with Netanyahu. ‘I think you could sense the frustration in that statement yesterday,’ White House spokesman John Kirby said in a briefing with reporters on Wednesday …” (“White House Temperature Is ‘Very High’ Ahead Of Biden-Bibi Call,” Axios, 4/03/2024) “President Joe Biden offered one of his sharpest rebukes of Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza during an interview airing Tuesday, describing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the conflict as a ‘mistake’ and calling for a halt to the fighting. ‘Well, I will tell you, I think what he’s doing is a mistake. I don’t agree with his approach,’ Biden told Univision …” (“Biden Criticizes Netanyahu’s Approach To War With Hamas As Mistake,” CNN, 4/09/2024) Shamefully, Democrats And The Biden Administration Telegraph That They’re Putting Their Domestic Political Priorities Ahead Of The National Security Interests Of The United States And Our Allies ‘Democrats Are Fearful That Israel’s War In Gaza Is Turning Into A Major Political Liability For President Biden And Candidates Down The Ballot’“Additionally, some Biden advisers believed that the [Iranian] assault on Israel may, temporarily, grant them a reprieve from Democratic critics who have slammed the president for being overly supportive of Israel at the expense of the Palestinian civilians. That anger has become worrisome for the president’s political team, which knows it can not afford to lose young and progressive voters, particularly from key battleground states like Michigan.” (“Biden Keeps Low Profile After Iran’s Israel Attack,“ Politico, 4/14/2024)“Democrats are fearful that Israel’s war in Gaza is turning into a major political liability for President Biden and candidates down the ballot…” (“Democrats Fear Israel-Hamas War Could Cost Them In November,” The Hill, 4/03/2024)·         “Some of Biden’s senior aides are becoming increasingly worried that his support for Israel’s war in Gaza risks damaging his re-election prospects amid cratering support from young voters.” (“Biden-Netanyahu Relationship at Boiling Point as Rafah Invasion Looms,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/15/2024)“Mr. Biden conversely has a powerful incentive to end the war as soon as possible to tamp down anger in the left wing of his party before the fall re-election campaign when he will need all the support he can get.” (“After 4 Months of War, Biden and Netanyahu Are on Different Timetables,” The New York Times, 2/27/2024)“It was also a signal that the president’s team has begun to see secondary domestic political problems arising from the conflict that now threaten to spill beyond a portion of the Democratic base.” (“Democrats Fear Netanyahu May Have Undermined Biden’s Image Among Voters,” Politico, 4/07/2024)·         “‘It’s massive. If this war keeps going on, then it will continue to be a major problem,’ one House Democrat told The Hill. ‘The sooner Biden can break from [Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] in a major way, then the better off he will be politically.’” (“Democrats Fear Israel-Hamas War Could Cost Them In November,” The Hill¸ 4/03/2024)·         “‘Very anxious,’ one Senate Democratic aide said about the party’s current mood. ‘The question is: When can you bring this conflict to an end? Democrats want to end this as soon as possible, because it’s the right thing to do and it’s a political necessity.’” (“Democrats Fear Israel-Hamas War Could Cost Them In November,” The Hill¸ 4/03/2024)·         “[Sen. Bernie] Sanders also echoed the concerns about what effect the war could have on the election. ‘Yeah, I am [worried about November],’ Sanders told MSNBC, noting that he will still continue to back the president despite the disagreement. ‘The polling is very clear: The Democratic base wants to stop funding Netanyahu’s war machine.’ ‘So if your question is: ‘Is it going to hurt the president unless he turns this around?’ Yeah, it will,’ he told host Ana Cabrera.” (“Democrats Fear Israel-Hamas War Could Cost Them In November,” The Hill¸ 4/03/2024)“Still, there is persistent worry in Democratic circles that the visceral images emerging from Gaza each day are denting enthusiasm among Biden voters. Most visibly, the worsening humanitarian situation has angered an important part of Biden’s base — young voters, Arab and Muslim Americans and progressives — outraged by the U.S.’s inability to stop the unfolding horrors. Biden now faces protests nearly everywhere he travels, as well as concerns that a Democratic Convention this summer will be consumed by voter anger in the streets.” (“Democrats Fear Netanyahu May Have Undermined Biden’s Image Among Voters,” Politico, 4/07/2024)“But as the U.S. struggled to prevent the conflict from spiraling into a humanitarian catastrophe, some of Biden’s close advisers and allies began worrying that rather than bolstering his image as an experienced global leader, the president’s steadfast support for Israel’s offensive risked further complicating his argument that the election is a choice between his competent moral clarity and former President Donald Trump’s chaos.” (“Democrats Fear Netanyahu May Have Undermined Biden’s Image Among Voters,” Politico, 4/07/2024)·         “Those concerns have been echoed in a series of interviews and statements from prominent Democratic and Democratic-aligned senators…” (“Democrats Fear Netanyahu May Have Undermined Biden’s Image Among Voters,” Politico, 4/07/2024)·         “And they have been an unstated undercurrent to the White House’s decision this past week to issue a stark threat to Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu that U.S. support could evaporate without major changes…” (“Democrats Fear Netanyahu May Have Undermined Biden’s Image Among Voters,” Politico, 4/07/2024)“There are also indications that Americans are souring on Biden’s handling of the conflict more broadly.” (“Democrats Fear Netanyahu May Have Undermined Biden’s Image Among Voters,” Politico, 4/07/2024)·         “Those warning signs permeated Biden’s inner circle in recent weeks. One senior adviser, granted anonymity to discuss confidential conversations, said leading up to Biden’s confrontational call with Netanyahu on Thursday that there was worry Biden’s difficulty in controlling his Israeli counterpart could undermine his claim to steady competence in voters’ eyes…” (“Democrats Fear Netanyahu May Have Undermined Biden’s Image Among Voters,” Politico, 4/07/2024)·         “That political reality, Biden allies say, makes it all the more imperative that the White House’s changing posture toward Netanyahu become a permanent pivot.” (“Democrats Fear Netanyahu May Have Undermined Biden’s Image Among Voters,” Politico, 4/07/2024) ###SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTERRelated Issues: Iran, National Security, House Democrats, Senate Democrats, IsraelPrintEmailTweetPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER McCONNELLFacebookTwitterInstagram