Promoting Stability and Prosperity
Floor Speech
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Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, last Monday marked a somber milestone. It was 500 days since the horrific attacks on October 7, 2022, when Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists launched the most harrowing assault on Israel and the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
We witnessed an unprecedented act of violence that shocked the world 500 days ago. We will never forget the 1,200 innocent lives Hamas murdered and the 240 civilians they took hostage that day, as well as those affected in the months following the October 7 attacks.
My House Republican colleagues and I are grateful to President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu for securing the recent ceasefire agreement which has led to Hamas releasing American and Israeli hostages. As we remember this day, we are more motivated than ever to stand with Israel and the Jewish people. I am grateful to my colleagues for joining me this evening to discuss this solemn anniversary.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank and very much appreciate Republican Vice Chairman Blake Moore of Utah for holding this Special Order hour.
Last Monday, February 17 marked 500 days since the heinous attack in Israel where drug-induced Iranian puppet Hamas launched the most cowardly, murderous assault against Israel and the Jewish community since the Holocaust. The world will not forget the mass slaughter of 1,200 innocent lives by Hamas and the 240 civilians taken hostage, including Americans.
It is a remarkable achievement that under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a ceasefire agreement was reached and led to the release of many hostages, though many remain.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has been successful in eliminating the leadership of Hamas and Hezbollah. He will face the nuclear threat of Tehran.
Americans will continue to reaffirm our unwavering support for Israel and the right of its citizens and Jewish people to live in peace. With the leadership of President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Ambassador Mike Huckabee, Americans will not stop until we bring home every hostage and achieve victory over the Iranian regime and its puppets.
The people of Iran can be inspired by the courageous patriots of Syria who liberated Damascus on December 8. Additionally, the new government in Beirut is positive for the people of Lebanon.
With the courageous patriots such as Ahmed Albasheer in Iraq, the people of Iraq will free themselves from Iranian domination for independence, achieving stability with prosperity.
Dictators around the world are losing in the war of dictators with rule of gun invading democracies with rule of law. War criminal Putin is failing in Ukraine with Ukrainians inspired by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In Georgia, the legitimate president, Salome Zourabichvili, is respected worldwide.
In Belarus, the legitimate president of Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has been warmly welcomed at the Munich Security Conference, supporting freedom for the people of Belarus.
In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Open borders for dictators put all Americans at risk of more 9/11 attacks imminent as warned by the FBI. Trump is reinstituting existing laws to protect American families with peace through strength.
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Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson). I always appreciate his perspective on these foreign policy issues.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California, and I always appreciate his participation.
I thank the rest of my colleagues for being here tonight and taking time to speak on the horrific assault against our ally and the Jewish community.
On October 7, 2022, the world was shocked at the atrocities carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel and the Jewish community. Nearly 3,000 Hamas fighters crossed into Israel by land, air, and sea, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 Israeli and foreign hostages.
October 7 will forever be a turning point in history.
As we reflect on the events of that day and the 500 days that have followed, it is imperative that we also recognize the broader implications of this attack.
It was not just an assault on Israel. It was an attack on the American vision for a safe and secure Middle East, which was led, perpetuated, and financed by the Iranian regime.
The Hamas perpetrators not only set out to destroy the very existence of the State of Israel, but they sought something larger. They wanted to prevent a seismic shift in the region from taking place. I am, of course, referring to the early success of the Abraham Accords, negotiated by the first Trump administration, and the long-term goal of a Saudi-Israel peace and normalization agreement.
Iran and its terrorist proxy groups, like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, could not bear to see Israel accepted by its neighbors or folded into the community of nations where it rightly belongs. Instead, they chose to commit unspeakable acts of violence, rape, terror, and slaughter.
As we mark 500 days since the October 7 attack, we must also look at the ongoing suffering of those affected by this violence. There are countless families and individuals living with the scars of that day. It is our duty to honor their memory and ensure that attacks like this never happen again.
We must remain vigilant against the threats posed by extremist groups and continue to champion freedom and democracy around the world. We must also work to strengthen the Abraham Accords, push hard for Saudi- Israeli normalization, and ensure that Iran's plan to destabilize the Middle East fails. We have a plan. We have a vision for success in the region and now is not the time to take our foot off the gas pedal.
House Republicans will remain steadfast in maintaining a strong relationship with Israel to continue to ensure that freedom and democracy endure.
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