A former Navy SEAL and combat medic turned congressman said the aftermath of Hamas’ slaughter of Israeli civilians on October 7 was the most horrific and barbaric sight he had ever seen.
“This is ISIS times 1,000,” Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), who visited Israel last week, told The Post, referring to fighters known for beheading hostages.
“I can speak with authority. I have done several combat tours. People were slaughtered on a scale not seen since the Holocaust,” he said of the attacks on Israel, which killed at least 1,400 people, many civilians.
“These Hamas terrorists — these savages, these beasts — they specifically target children. They’ve been told to cut off people’s hands and feet…It’s heartbreaking,” Van Orden said. “People are trying to legitimize this.”
Van Orden served 26 years in the Navy, 22 of them as a Navy Seal that included five combat deployments.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) visited Israel after the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7. Facebook/ Derrick Van Orden
He criticized the Biden administration for delivering $100 million in humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, from where the ruling Hamas launched the attack.
“That sends a mixed message. It must be clear that Hamas is responsible for this terrible attack,” Van Orden said in a statement on X about his trip.
“Neither England nor the United States sent humanitarian aid to Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, or Imperial Japan during the war. There are no deviations. HAMAS, Hezbollah, and their sponsor Iran, are the enemies of freedom and peace. We must stop helping them,” the police wrote.
Van Orden said Hamas attacks are like “ISIS times 1,000.” Facebook/ Derrick Van Orden Van Orden said Hamas “specifically targeted children” in attacks that killed more than 1,4000 Israelis.AP Photo/Yousef Masoud
“Palestinians participated in this crime – not just Hamas.”
He said Israel had the right to defend itself with its counterattack in Gaza, rejecting calls for a ceasefire demanded by thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters in New York and elsewhere.
“Everything that is happening in Gaza is the result of Hamas’ attack on Israel,” said the new congressman.
Van Orden, 54, visited the kibbutzim where dozens of civilians were killed, including Holocaust victims, in the slaughter earlier in October.
Van Orden makes sandwiches for Israeli soldiers and children during his visit.Facebook/ Derrick Van Orden
He recalled talking to a 70-year-old grandfather who held Hamas terrorists for 16 hours with another man to protect his grandson.
“Sara Jane and I are going to have our 10th grandchild soon, and I only hope that I will have the courage of this man when the time comes,” the congressman said of her own family.
He participate in the traditional Jewish ceremony of making bread and pray for all those killed or held hostage. The bread was given to the soldiers the next day.
A former Navy Seal told The Post that Israelis were “slaughtered on a scale not seen since the Holocaust” in the attack earlier this month. Facebook/ Derrick Van Orden
Congressmen too help prepare sandwiches for children and soldiers, donate blood and visit a wounded Israeli warrior.
Additionally, his visit included meetings with the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Avi Dichter, the former commander of Israel’s Shin Bet, Israel’s anti-terrorist unit, and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, among other Israeli officials.
In addition to helping Israel eliminate Hamas, Van Orden, a member of the House Agriculture and Veterans Committee, said he would push for food aid to Israel.
It is a great honor to participate in the traditional Jewish ceremony of making bread in times of sorrow or triumph.
We made bread and prayed for all those who were killed and those who were held hostage.
The bread was given to the soldiers the next day. pic.twitter.com/DmRDa79wcE
— Derrick Van Orden (@derrickvanorden) October 25, 2023
He said Israelis rely on getting fruits and vegetables from neighboring Arab countries, such as tomatoes from Turkey. Those countries may be less prepared to provide food to Israel during the war.
“Where are they going to get their food from?,” he said of the Israelis.
He also wants to provide funding to help Israeli soldiers recover from battle injuries.
Van Orden met with Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Avi Dichter during the trip.Facebook/ Derrick Van Orden
Van Orden urged the American people and the president and Congress to be unwavering in their support for Israel.
“Now is the time for courage,” he said in an interview with The Post. “Stand firm with the Jews, and do not bend your knees.
“There will be no peace when the evil of Hamas exists.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
