Tom Price “Israel has every right to defend herself and protect her people.”

Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement in support of Israel following this weekend’s incident near Gaza where Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) personnel engaged a flotilla of six ships attempting to overrun an Israeli naval blockade. Reports have indicated that individuals on board the ships were carrying weapons and attacked Israeli soldiers as they were trying to stop the advance of the flotilla. The blockade exists to keep the terrorist organization Hamas from supplying its forces while allowing necessary humanitarian supplies to reach those living in Gaza. Hamas has routinely threatened and launched rocket attacks against Israel.

“Israel has every right to defend herself and protect her people,” said Congressman Price. “The loss of life in this incident is tragic, but it should not diminish our support for Israel as it faces continued threats. I call on the President and his administration to stand strong with the Israeli people and against any effort to mislead or distort the facts surrounding this incident in an effort to stoke animosity toward Israel. There needs to be a full and balanced investigation into how this situation escalated. Nevertheless, our allies and our enemies alike should know that America will not tolerate those who commit or support violent actions against a friend of the United States and that commitment is resolute.”

For Immediate Release Tuesday, June 1, 2010 Contact: Ryan Murphy

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Supports Israel’s Right of Self-Defense Decries UN’s Focus on Condemning Israel Instead of Stopping Iran Threat

(WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, commented today on yesterday’s defensive naval operation by Israel. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: “Israel has the right and the duty to defend itself and its citizens, including by seeking to inspect ships run by Islamist extremist groups. These extremists, suspected of financing jihadist groups, were seeking to enter Hamas-controlled Gaza despite repeated requests from the Israeli government not to do so. “Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Islamist militant groups have repeatedly used innocent civilians as human shields.

They hide rockets and other weapons in homes, hospitals, and schools. With this in mind and given that the group running the ‘flotilla’ has ties to jihadist groups, Israel was compelled to search the cargo and passengers as a vital security measure.

“Israeli soldiers had every right to defend their lives against a lynch mob attacking them with knives and clubs.

“It is deeply troubling that the UN’s knee-jerk reaction was to immediately condemn and isolate Israel, particularly while still refusing to take concrete steps to stop Iran’s march toward a nuclear weapon.

“The U.S. must stand with Israel against this diplomatic lynch mob and the threats posed to its security, and very existence, by Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran, and Syria.” #####

House Foreign Affairs Committee U.S. House of Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Republican

For Immediate Release June 1, 2010 Contact: Brad Goehner, (202) 226-8467 Alex Cruz, (202) 225-8200