Thousands of people turned out Sunday to demonstrate in support of Israel in front of Capitol Hill in Washington. The rally was organized by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a Republican who may run for president in 2016.
Huckabee initiated the event after expressing his disappointment at the White House’s stance during Operation Protective Edge, which Israel launched in July to stop ongoing Hamas rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and eliminate the terror tunnels Hamas had dug under the border into Israeli communities.
According to Huckabee, the Obama administration did not give Israel sufficient backing during the operation, which aroused international criticism.
“I have been to Israel nearly 30 times over the past 41 years and have never seen the nation under such threat,” Huckabee said. “Israel is our closest ally and friend in the Middle East, and they are suffering due to the weak policies of the Obama administration.”
“God has protected this tiny but increasingly powerful nation, and it’s time for the United States to do the same,” he said.
Many members of Congress attended the rally to reaffirm their support for Israel and its war on Hamas. They were joined by representatives of Zionist groups, including Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America.
“Thousands of Americans have come here today to express how important it is to support Israel, after Operation Protective Edge and the kidnapping and murder of the three teens,” Huckabee told the audience.
“A clear call needs to go out from here that hasn’t been heard from the [Obama administration], that Israel has the right and the moral obligation to protect the security of its citizens against radical Islamic terrorism.
“We waste more time telling Israel not to build in the land that was given to Abraham than we do telling the Iranians to stop building bombs intended for the United States.”
Likud MK Danny Danon, who took part in the rally, said Israel had “another Iron Dome in the thousands of Americans who support the State of Israel with all their hearts and stand by its side always.”
(Israel Hayom/JNS)