Boise City Wire

U.S. Senator Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho and the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, addressed the Senate floor to affirm U.S. support for Israel. He expressed concerns over actions by the Biden Administration and some Democrats that he believes could undermine this longstanding alliance.

"For 76 years, the U.S. has stood with the State of Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East," Risch stated. He criticized what he sees as efforts to placate "the far left of the Democratic party during our own domestic elections" by withholding weapons and ammunition from Israel and issuing National Security Memorandum 20.

Risch warned against withholding arms sales to Israel, stating that it signals conditional American support, potentially encouraging adversaries like Iran's proxies and Hezbollah to continue their attacks on Israel. "We must stand with Israel as it confronts these threats," he emphasized.

He also pointed out that global partners observing U.S. actions might perceive America as unreliable in honoring commitments, particularly when choosing between alliances with the United States versus China and Russia.

Risch underscored his belief in continued American support for Israel: "I hope the world will hear me when I say that the people of America support Israel – full stop."

In his remarks, Risch also criticized past administration efforts to engage with Iran, including releasing billions of dollars in frozen assets and reversing sanctions policies, which he argues have emboldened Iranian actions.

Risch urged colleagues across both political parties to oppose resolutions suggesting diminished U.S. support for Israel, emphasizing bipartisan backing: "Support for Israel has traditionally enjoyed broad bipartisan support."