OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Sen. Ted Cruz ripped into the State Department over a now-deleted tweet that urged the Israeli government to “refrain” from a violent response following a surprise attack by Hamas that has left some 500 people dead and hundreds more wounded.
Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist group by the State Department and which is believed to be funded, in large part, by Iran, attacked Israel on Saturday by launching thousands of missiles into the heart of the country. In addition, Hamas forces have reportedly kidnapped scores of Israeli citizens and have executed Israeli civilians.
The clearly well-organized attack was the largest against Israel in decades. Besides thousands of missiles, Hamas forces also invaded several towns and settlements near Gaza.
As the chaos was unfolding, the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs, which is within the State Department, posted a highly controversial tweet on the X platform: “We unequivocally condemn the attack of Hamas terrorists and the loss of life that has incurred. We urge all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks. Terror and violence solve nothing.”
.@USPalAffairs deleted it but here's what they tweeted: pic.twitter.com/6NvEyrMltd
— Darin Miller (@DarinBMiller) October 7, 2023
The tweet was taken down, but not before the Texas Republican raked the Biden administration over the coals.
“This is disgraceful and every single person involved in drafting and approving this tweet should be immediately expelled from the U.S. government,” Cruz wrote.
This is disgraceful and every single person involved in drafting and approving this tweet should be immediately expelled from the U.S. government. https://t.co/EF6cJOCVpM
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 7, 2023
Later in the day, the State Dept. also criticized the tweet.
“The United States condemns the terrorist attack against Israel and unequivocally supports Israel’s right to defend itself, as the President and Secretary have both made clear,” a department spokesman told the Washington Free Beacon.
Len Khodorkovsky, a former deputy assistant secretary of state during the Trump administration, labeled the tweet “pathetic” and said a message of that nature “emboldens the terrorists and endangers the civilians.”
Meanwhile, members of the far-left congressional “Squad” were also blasted after they called for an immediate “ceasefire,” Fox News reported.
“Squad” leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called for a “ceasefire and de-escalation” after the surprise terrorist attack.
“Today is devastating for all those seeking a lasting peace and respect for human rights in Israel and Palestine. I condemn Hamas’ attack in the strongest possible terms,” the New York Democrat said in a statement.
“No child and family should ever endure this kind of violence and fear, and this violence will not solve the ongoing oppression and occupation in the region,” Ocasio-Cortez continued.
“An immediate ceasefire and de-escalation is urgently needed to save lives,” she added, per Fox News.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) clapped back at her Democratic congressional colleague, calling her a “Hamas apologist.”
“Hamas apologist asking for ‘ceasefire’ after one side launches a massive terrorist attack. Nice try,” Mace wrote on the X platform.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) – who has a history of controversial statements about Israel – condemned “the horrific acts we are seeing unfold today in Israel against children, women, the elderly, and the unarmed people who are being slaughtered and taken hostage by Hamas.”
“Such senseless violence will only repeat the back and forth cycle we’ve seen, which we cannot allow to continue,” Omar said.
“We need to call for deescalation and ceasefire,” she added. “I will keep advocating for peace and justice throughout the Middle East.”
“FOX & Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy, meanwhile, condemned Omar in a response to her statement, saying the Squad member “will never acknowledge that there was peace in the Middle East [and] Europe when Trump was in office.”
She will never acknowledge that there was peace in the Middle East & Europe when Trump was in office. https://t.co/PjUi8NPXCL
— Rachel Campos-Duffy (@RCamposDuffy) October 7, 2023
“Notice how she only condemns the acts against ‘children, women, the elderly, and the unarmed.'” conservative commentator John Hasson added. “She’s implying that attacking/killing IDF forces is fine.”
Another conservative commentator known online as Comfortably Smug criticized the “Squad” in a response to Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s (D-Mass.) post as well.
The squad telling Israel to stand down after it was attacked and hundreds of its citizens were massacred
Incredible https://t.co/VIO3X3zotu
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) October 7, 2023
“The squad telling Israel to stand down after it was attacked and hundreds of its citizens were massacred,” he wrote. “Incredible.”
