In a recent interview, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a Republican, expressed his unwavering support for Israel's air strikes on the Gaza Strip, stating that no number of Palestinian casualties would sway his stance.
This comes in the wake of President Joe Biden's private appeal to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to minimize civilian casualties during the conflict. The President also announced a $100 million humanitarian aid package for Gaza and the West Bank, while emphasizing Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas.
During his Tuesday interview on CNN, Senator Graham argued that there should be no restrictions on Israel's offensive against Hamas, which he believes must be eradicated. "Hamas wants to kill all the Jews. It's not about the Palestinians," Graham stated. "They're not trying to help the Palestinian people, they're trying to destroy Israel."
Drawing a parallel with World War II, Graham likened the situation to America's response to the attack on Pearl Harbor. "We declared war on Germany, and how did we end the war? We dropped a bomb on several cities in Japan, breaking the role of the Japanese people," he said. He suggested that the average American would agree that the only appropriate response to such an attack is victory.
When CNN's Abby Phillips questioned the morality of bombing territories populated by civilians and refugees, Graham responded with a hypothetical scenario set in 2023. He painted a grim picture of Holocaust survivors being killed by Islamic terrorists in Israel, families being slaughtered, children being raped in front of their parents, and infants being burned alive. "I can't imagine that," he said.
Graham emphasized that the destruction of Hamas is non-negotiable, despite the regrettable loss of innocent lives. "The day after Hamas is destroyed, I hope we have a better life for the Palestinian people, but I'm not blaming Israel. I'm blaming Hamas," he said. He reiterated his belief that Israel is trying to limit civilian casualties, while Hamas is attempting to increase them.
Graham made it clear that he sees no limit to Israel's right to defend itself against those who seek to annihilate the Jewish people. He compared the situation to the U.S.'s involvement in World War II, where he said there was "no limit" to the U.S.'s efforts to defeat Germany and Japan.
The senator referred to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,400 Israelis and 31 Americans. He accused the terrorists of committing horrific atrocities, including burning people alive, raping women and children, and beheading infants.
He also claimed that Hamas attempted to blame Israel for a hospital bombing that was seemingly caused by a misfire by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Despite the unreliability of the Gaza Health Ministry's recorded death toll, liberal media outlets have cited their figures in their coverage of the conflict, according to Graham.
Login