RELEASE: Gottheimer, Bacon, Moskowitz, Tenney Lead 110+ Bipartisan Members Asking President Biden to Bolster Israel’s Security

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, October 16, 2023, with rockets continuing to rain down on Israel, a bipartisan group of 113 Members of Congress (63 Democrats and 50 Republicans) — led by Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Don Bacon (NE-2), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), and Claudia Tenney (NY-24) — wrote to President Biden asking him to boost Israel’s security, hold Iran accountable for its role in funding Hamas, impose maximum sanctions on Iran, end Iran’s oil trade to China, and put pressure on nations who support Hamas, including Qatar and Türkiye.

Hamas’ war against Israel has taken the lives of more than 1,400 innocent Israelis, including Arab Israelis, 30 Americans, and injured thousands more. There are nearly 200 hostages, including Americans.

The 113 Members thanked the President for his unwavering support for the State of Israel, and reaffirmed their commitment to increasing American security assistance for critical technologies including the Iron Dome. The Members also wrote in support of additional measures to replenish and release stockpiles of American ammunition stored in Israel to use during this national emergency, including offensive munitions key to assuring Israel’s success. As Israel works to eradicate Hamas, ensuring the Jewish State’s safety is essential to America’s national security.

“Iran must be held fully accountable for its continued role in funding Hamas and Islamic terror. We urge the Administration to take all necessary steps to cut off Iranian funding sources. This includes maximum enforcement of all U.S. sanctions, and taking any and all steps to end Iran’s oil trade to China, which currently brings in $150 million per day in revenue. On October 18, UN ballistic missile sanctions will expire under the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). This cannot be allowed to happen. We urge your Administration to work with our European allies to immediately implement snapback sanctions on Iran at the UN Security Council. The United States must also put significant pressure on Qatar and Türkiye to cease their support for Hamas and expel Hamas leadership that they host,” the 113 bipartisan Members of Congress wrote in a letter to President Biden. “Both Qatar and Türkiye should cease all ties with Hamas, and continue to work with the United States to stabilize the region.”

Full text of the letter and signatories can be found here.

October 16, 2023

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden President of the United States 

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Biden:

Thank you for your unwavering support for the State of Israel and commitment to its security and stability. We appreciate Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s announcement to direct the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean. We support any additional Administration measures to ensure Israel has every tool available to defeat radical terror.

We are writing at a time of immense difficulty and sorrow for Israel and the Jewish people with a desire to reaffirm our support for the U.S.-Israel alliance at a moment when our ally depends on American support the most. The United States must stand ready to provide Israel with the resources she needs to defend herself, and stand by her until every hostage, including American citizens, are returned home and Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and others complicit are decisively defeated. We are already beginning to see calls in some circles for de-escalation. Premature de-escalation would be a victory for the terrorists, and allow them to continue to threaten Israeli civilians with future attacks.

As you have said, “Israel has the right to defend itself and its people, full stop.” We remain committed to increasing American security assistance for critical technologies including the Iron Dome to preserve Israel’s safety. Congress will support additional measures to replenish and release stockpiles of American ammunition stored in Israel to use during this national emergency, including offensive munitions key to assuring Israel’s success. It is essential to America’s national security.

Iran must be held fully accountable for its continued role in funding Hamas and Islamic terror. We urge the Administration to take all necessary steps to cut off Iranian funding sources. This includes maximum enforcement of all U.S. sanctions, and taking any and all steps to end Iran’s oil trade to China, which currently brings in $150 million per day in revenue. On October 18, UN ballistic missile sanctions will expire under the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). This cannot be allowed to happen. We urge your Administration to work with our European allies to immediately implement snapback sanctions on Iran at the UN Security Council.

The United States must also put significant pressure on Qatar and Türkiye to cease their support for Hamas and expel Hamas leadership that they host. Ismail Haniyeh, the leader behind Hamas’ deadliest-ever attack on Israel, sits comfortably in Qatar, a U.S. strategic partner in CENTCOM’s Area of Responsibility. The country’s links to Hamas and recent statement blaming Israel for the ongoing war are simply unacceptable. Türkiye, a NATO ally, also continues to house Hamas leadership and provide both diplomatic and financial support to the organization. Both Qatar and Türkiye should cease all ties with Hamas, and continue to work with the United States to stabilize the region.

Israel has no greater ally than the United States. We thank you for your ongoing efforts to bring critical help to Israel as it endures one of the deadliest periods in its history. Congress stands ready to provide Israel with the support it needs. The devastation, destruction, and war waged against Israel is an affront to our ironclad, bipartisan relationship with the Jewish State, our closest ally in the Middle East.

Sincerely,

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

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