Ocean County Leader

Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester), Co-Chair of the Israel Allies Caucus, today commended Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his historic joint address to Congress as Israel continues to defend itself from a host of adversaries in the Middle East.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s passionate yet deliberate address, which comes at a very pivotal time, was a grand slam,” said Smith, who invited two constituents—Ralph Zucker and Yaakov Wenger, both from Lakewood—as his guests to the Prime Minister’s speech. “It marked not only a critical call to action but also a heartfelt expression of gratitude to the American people and those in the United States and Congress who continue to stand by Israel.”

“Israel is facing an existential threat from Iran and its proxies including Hamas—which wants to eviscerate it from the face of the earth,” said Smith, who is an avid supporter of Israel and fierce advocate for aid to the U.S. ally.

“Netanyahu brilliantly made the case that these threats are not only directed to Israel, but also to America,” Smith continued. “He reminded everyone that Iran—which also hates the United States—routinely chants ‘death to America.’”

“He also called out the blatantly antisemitic protesters at our college campuses—such as Rutgers University in New Jersey—who are very prone to violence,” said Smith, Co-Chair of the House Task Force for Combating Antisemitism.

“Sadly, the Biden Administration’s vacillation especially and including on Israel has sent mixed messages to Israel’s adversaries and has enabled those who hate Jews because they are Jews,” said Smith. “Now more than ever, we must stand in absolute solidarity with this great U.S. ally—and the only true, stable democracy in the Middle East.”