The Israeli military is continuing its airstrikes on Gaza on Thursday as Israel's defense minister has told troops to be ready for a ground assault on the Palestinian territory, although he has not said when that will begin. Meanwhile, protests against Israel continue around the world, including at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon – and it has come as no surprise that the far-left contingent of the Democratic Party is calling for a ceasefire.
David Brickner is the executive director of Jews for Jesus, which is doing extensive work in the Holy Land. He believes that Hamas and those who support the terrorist organization will be held accountable.
"I think that God's judgment is going to be on those who speak against his people," he tells AFN. "And I think that there are political situations where people are going to be held accountable for their posture and for their position."
Brickner is grateful for those who are standing by Israel – at least for now.
"They're saying there's no justification for what was done [by Hamas] – and Israel is getting the support that we want them to get, both militarily and in every other way. [But] I don't think that's going to last for very long," says the ministry spokesman.
"I think that as soon as Israel goes into Gaza with their ground forces, the whole narrative is going to shift and people are going to start calling for ceasefire."
Still, Brickner remains hopeful President Joe Biden and the U.S. will resist calls for a ceasefire and insist that what needs to be done is to rid the world of Hamas.
Wicker voices U.S. support for Israel
Meanwhile, the ranking Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee is calling for a defense package to help Israel win its war against Hamas. On Wednesday, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi voiced his unwavering support for Israel during a speech on the Senate Floor:
Wicker: "We have all seen the devastation from Hamas' brutal attacks. We need to send this clear signal from both sides of the aisle and both ends of this building: Israel has a right self-defense, just as we in America deserve a right to self-defense – and Israel is entitled to our full support."
And Wicker called for renewed attention to American defense industrial capacity, suggesting that the crisis in Israel underscores the need for a strong military:
Wicker: "This episode again highlights that our national defense is far behind where it should be. Some of us have been raising this point for a long time. I have been making this point long before I was able to become ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. The administration needs to send Congress a funding request that fully resources the United States military for a rapidly worsening threat environment in Israel, in the Middle East, in Ukraine, in Europe, and in the Western Pacific."
The Mississippi Republican requested the Biden administration provide Israel with Tamir missile interceptor systems for the Iron Dome as well as precision-guided munitions.
