South Florida Reps. Daley & Gottlieb Discuss Israel-Hamas War and UN General Assembly

Bipartisan Delegation to Israel

• 🇺🇸 A large bipartisan US delegation, including South Florida Representatives Dan Daley and Michael Gottlieb, recently visited Israel.
• 🎯 The trip aimed to renew the partnership with Israel and counter rising antisemitism, serving as a fact-finding mission.
• 🗣️ Representatives sought to verify that Israel is not committing genocide, withholding food, or operating as an apartheid state.

On-the-Ground Perspectives

• 💥 Rep. Daley described visiting Kibbutz Be'eri, near the Gaza border, witnessing the aftermath of the October 7th Hamas attack.
• 👂 Both representatives heard firsthand accounts and experienced shelling and munitions fire during their visit.
• 🕊️ They emphasized that Israel desires peace and that the conflict could end if Hamas returns hostages and surrenders.

Two-State Solution and Settlements

• 🌍 The UN General Assembly is set to discuss a two-state solution, with some nations recognizing a Palestinian state.
• 🚫 Rep. Gottlieb argued that unilaterally declaring a Palestinian state rewards Hamas and their October 7th actions.
• 🏡 Regarding West Bank settlements, Rep. Gottlieb stated they did not witness paving over Palestinian settlements and noted that Israelis living there consider it their ancestral land.

Addressing Misinformation

• 📢 Representatives highlighted the prevalence of social media propaganda and misinformation surrounding the conflict.
• 🚚 A UN-supported website indicates that over 6,000 food trucks entering Gaza have been co-opted by Hamas, questioning narratives about food shortages.
• 🤝 The importance of the US-Israel partnership, including intelligence and technology sharing, was underscored as mutually beneficial.