It's wrong for the US to make demands of an ally and suggest that vital aid will be withheld unless those demands are met, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) said on Monday from the senate floor.
President Joe Biden's recent call for a ceasefire plays directly into Hamas' hands and the priority should be the release of the hostages and victory for Israel, Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, said.
"But instead of displaying American resolve, our President seems to be mollifying the left wing of his party," Wicker said. "Calling for a ceasefire instead of hostage release and unconditional victory creates a false equivalence between Israel and Hamas."
Claims a ceasefire empowers Hamas
Victory has to be our position, Wicker said.
Wicker said the President's call for an immediate ceasefire is tantamount to a call for Hamas to remain in business to reestablish itself for future atrocities, and he added that is not something Israel will allow nor should they.
"And it is not something we should ask of Israel or any other partner or ally," Wicker said.
Wicker acknowledged the deaths of the World Central Kitchen workers, calling it an "avoidable and unmitigated tragedy."
Wicker spoke of the work World Central Kitchen did in his home state after devastating tornadoes ripped through the region.
Wicker reiterated a Republican talking point that in the wake of the World Central Kitchen workers deaths Israel has done more than the Biden administration did during the withdrawal of Afghanistan when US forces struck a car of civilians.
"The Biden administration took far longer than Israel to own up to that mistake. I'm glad our country did eventually acknowledge our fault," Wicker said. "This shows that the free world holds ourselves to exacting standards of care for the innocent caught in harm's way, including the 1000's that have died in Gaza since October 7."
Wicker said it has become "fashionable" to hold Israel to unachievable standards and benchmarks that the US does not hold itself or any other ally.