Staff Reports
Senator Jeff Merkley, from the liberal state of Oregon, has joined the chorus of Democrats calling for a cease-fire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, a terrorist group. In his usual pandering to the left, Merkley posted a statement urging both sides to stop the hostilities and release hostages, conveniently leaving out the fact that it was Hamas who initiated the conflict with their rocket attacks on Israel.
Not content with just calling for a halt in the fighting, Merkley also demanded a “massive influx” of humanitarian aid, as if Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, hasn’t been providing assistance to the people of Gaza even as they continue to face rocket attacks from Hamas.
This move from Merkley comes after Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a top Democrat, made similar calls for a cease-fire. It’s like a competition among Democrats to see who can pander to the anti-Israel crowd the most. And of course, House Democrats have been in on the act as well, with some of them demanding a cease-fire since the start of the conflict. It’s no surprise coming from a party that consistently chooses to appease terrorists instead of standing with our allies.
Sen. Jeff Merkley united with those urging a cease-fire in Gaza as the war between Israel and Hamas moves well into its second month. https://t.co/kObUqcM7Tu
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) November 21, 2023
Merkley took the opportunity to bash Israel’s defense efforts, stating that “the way that Israel has conducted that campaign matters and has been deeply disturbing for me and millions of others.” It’s deeply disturbing how the left constantly turns a blind eye to the reality of the situation – Israel is defending itself from unprovoked attacks by a terrorist group, and yet they are the ones being criticized.
Of course, Merkley and his fellow Democrats conveniently forgot to mention the thousands of rockets fired by Hamas at Israeli civilians, as well as the hostages they have taken. The World Food Program even warns of the impending starvation of civilians in Gaza, conveniently failing to place the blame on Hamas for using humanitarian aid as a shield for their terrorist activities.
President Biden himself suggested a “pause” might be necessary to “get the prisoners out.” It’s troubling to see the leader of the free world even entertaining the idea of negotiating with terrorists, but it’s consistent with the weak foreign policy approach of the current administration.
It’s clear that Merkley and his allies are more concerned with scoring political points and appeasing their base than standing up for our ally Israel, a beacon of democracy and freedom in a volatile region. It’s time for Democrats to stop playing politics with international conflicts and start supporting our allies in their rightful defense against terrorism.
