ICYMI: Chairman McCaul Joins CNN’s “State of the Union” to Discuss Hamas Terrorist Attack on Israel
Washington, D.C. – House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul joined Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union” today to discuss the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
On the brutality of the terrorist attacks:
“I’ve been to the Gaza border many times. … the civilians that live there are always terrorized by balloons that have bombs attached to them or fires. [They also] have drones that fly into their homes and videotape them. So it’s an ongoing struggle from them. Sadly, I just got a text from a beautiful woman who toured us around [Gaza], and her parents were killed yesterday in this massacre. So it’s real, and it’s such a tragedy to hear about this. … This is not about armies going to war against each other. It’s really an act of terrorism — an invasion of Israel with terrorists kidnapping children, killing people indiscriminately.”
On Iran’s involvement:
“We do know that Iran is behind this. They have financed this every step of the way, and they’ve trained these terrorists…I’m also concerned about the $6billion in lifted sanctions that [will go] into Iran. I don’t think it played a part in this event. But it certainly could play a part in any future terror activities. … We heard from the president of Iran. He’s very clear, in his words, that ‘I’m going to do whatever I want with that money.’”
On the Importance of Deterring Other Bad Actors from Capitalizing on This Tragedy:
“I think as it stands right now, the Israeli military capability far outweighs Hamas. And they can take care of this problem. But it will take time to go house to house [in Gaza]. But if this lights up into a larger sort of … Jihadist war against the Zionists, if you will, that’s what always keeps everybody up at night.”
On the Need for Action in Congress:
“We have to get a speaker elected this week so we can get things to the floor like replenishing the Iron Dome, get a resolution that Ranking Member Meeks and I have been working on — a bipartisan resolution condemning Hamas for what they have done to Israel… We have to get that message out as soon as possible.”
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