McConnell Remarks on Israel-Hizballah Ceasefire
‘It was Israel’s bold and decisive operations, not the overly cautious calls for restraint from Washington, that made a cessation of hostilities possible. The Jewish state has left Iran no reason to doubt Israel’s capacity and willingness to protect its citizens and restore its sovereignty by force. America ought to apply this lesson to our own approach to the Iran-backed groups that continue to attack American forces across the region.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Israel:
“It’s been a week since Israel and Hizballah agreed to a ceasefire. War is hell, and I hope sincerely that this marks a durable end to the immediate conflict.
“But hope is not a strategy, and I know better than to expect honest dealing from hardened terrorists.
“It would be naïve enough a year and a half ago to believe Iran and its proxies had suddenly decided to accept Israel’s right to exist.
“But in light of the horrors of October 7th and the sustained campaign of terror since then, it’s more likely that Iran and its proxies mean to alleviate the pressure of Israel’s successful operations and give Hizballah – the A-team of international terrorism and the vanguard of Iran’s axis of anti-Semitic violence – a chance to catch its breath.
“In the weeks and months to come, the strength of this ceasefire will be tested repeatedly.
“Will it prevent Iran from resupplying and regenerating Hizballah’s capacity to wage terror?
“Will it enable Lebanon’s political leaders to chart a new path out of Hizballah’s stranglehold of the country?
“Will it allow residents of northern Israel to feel safe enough to return home?
“It’s important to remember why Israel faced this terror in the first place: despite Chapter 7 UN Security Council resolutions demanding compliance, the ceasefire agreement that ended hostilities in 2006 was never enforced.
“Even with Lebanese Armed Forces and UN peacekeepers on the ground, Hizballah re-armed and Iranian influence reached deeper into Lebanon. Such a tragic farce must not be allowed to repeat itself.
“This ceasefire is not a solution. If regional powers want peace, they will need to act.
“First, Israel’s neighbors must decide whether they want to be peaceful and sovereign countries… or vassals of Iran and legitimate targets of war. This applies to Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon’s fractured government.
“The United States, for its part, must ensure Israel has the freedom of maneuver to target and destroy Iran’s military and logistical lifelines. And America should move quickly to restore Israel’s munitions stockpiles.
“As I expect the incoming administration already knows, this means removing restrictions on the sale of needed weapons like 2000-pound smart bombs.
“But there’s a broader, more fundamental lesson I hope we’ll take away from Israel’s stunningly successful campaign against Hizballah – it’s about the credibility of threats.
“It was Israel’s bold and decisive operations, not the overly cautious calls for restraint from Washington, that made a cessation of hostilities possible. The Jewish state has left Iran no reason to doubt Israel’s capacity and willingness to protect its citizens and restore its sovereignty by force.
“America ought to apply this lesson to our own approach to the Iran-backed groups that continue to attack American forces across the region. And to Ukraine, as well. Too many in Washington still believe that the path to peace lies in restraining our friends.
“The evidence of coordination between our adversaries – China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea – is incontrovertible. It’s high time that America’s support for our friends carried real weight.”
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Related Issues: Iran, Israel
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