“I Went To Israel To Listen” – Florida Senator Visits Eretz Yisroel

By FrumNews.com 

United States Senator and former Florida Governor Rick Scott, who represents the third-largest Jewish population in the US, returned recently from visiting Eretz Yisroel for his sixth time.

The visit was after Senator Chuck Schumer‘s disastrous call for new elections in Eretz Yisroel and Netanyahu’s ouster from Israeli politics. Senator Scott called Schumer out: “The Majority Leader on the US floor is calling for a new Israeli government. This is coercion, it’s dangerous, it’s undemocratic.”

“If Schumer doesn’t like Netanyahu, it doesn’t matter, we should respect the Israeli government and should be respected by the American government. Americans should stand strongly with Israel’s elected leadership, [and] not threaten it as it fights terrorism.” Senator Scott added.

During the visit, Senator Scott met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other high-ranking Cabinet officials to discuss the United States and Israel’s shared priority of destroying Hamas terrorists that have killed thousands of Israelis and continue to hold hundreds hostage, including Americans, since the Simchas Torah attacks.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister said that the recent Security Council resolution condemning Israel’s offensive he stated, “I thought the US decision in the Security Council was a very, very bad move. The worst part about it was that it encouraged Hamas terrorists to take a hard line and to believe that international pressure will prevent Israel from freeing the hostages and destroying Hamas. My decision not to send the delegation to Washington DC in the wake of that resolution was a message to Hamas: Don’t bet on this pressure, it’s not going to work.”

“I hope they got the message.” The Prime Minister added.

During the visit, Senator Scott visited the Kosel to pray for the Hostages. And toured Kfar Aza Kibbutz, (which he first visited in 2019 and was destroyed during the Simchas Torah attacks). He also met with IDF soldiers and family members of individuals held hostage in Gaza.

After arriving back from Eretz Yisroel, the Senator said at a press conference at the Naples Florida JCC, “I completely support Israel’s right to defend themselves. They were invaded by Despicable people that want to destroy their way of life.”

“I went to Israel to listen, but also to deliver an important message to Prime Minister Netanyahu and other high-ranking officials: my commitment to supporting Israel and protecting the valuable relationship Florida and America have with the Jewish State will never falter – we will see this through until Hamas is destroyed and every hostage, which includes Americans, that have now spent 174 days in Hamas captivity are back home.”

The Senator added, “My visit to Israel has only reinforced the undeniable fact that the United States and Israel have a common security interest in destroying Hamas and getting hostages back home today. At the Western Wall, I left a prayer for every hostage taken on October 7 to be freed today and returned home. War is terrible, but Israel cannot rest until Hamas is destroyed and the hostages, including Americans, are home. I know that G-d is with the Israeli people and will deliver victory to his people and the Jewish State.”

Chabad Shliach of Fort Myers and Southwest Florida, Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz (who led a number of high-profile solidarity visits to Eretz Yisroel) thanked the Senator, “I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of the South Florida Jewish community and the whole Florida Jewish community, to thank the senator for taking out time and the effort, it’s a lot of effort to go you went you showed support and you came back with a clear picture, boots on the ground fired up and I guess my message is anyone that wants to say something and be involved do what our senator did. Go, and you’ll come back with a real picture, you should visit Israel.”