Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Shows Strong Support for Israel Amidst Hamas Attack
Since the Hamas attack on Israel, Gov. Ron DeSantis has sought to demonstrate his leadership and foreign policy expertise in action as war ignites in the Middle East.
With a flurry of activity, the Florida governor has firmly stood behind Israel following the horrific massacres of Oct. 7.
Mr. DeSantis has consistently contrasted his actions with those of President Joe Biden, as well as his chief rivals for the nomination, former President Donald Trump and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley.
He took immediate action by dispatching flights to evacuate hundreds of stranded Floridians when the war broke out and authorizing flights to transport donated supplies.
The governor has criticized President Biden’s plan to send $100 million to Gaza and his campaign opponent Nikki Haley’s stance on refugee resettlement. He vehemently opposes admitting Gaza refugees into the United States.
Mr. DeSantis’s state government has also been proactive in addressing the situation.
Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of the state university system, condemned reports of anti-Semitism at pro-Palestinian rallies on Florida campuses.
He emphasized that the “grotesque behavior,” including statements condoning the killing of Jewish babies and justifying the killing of Jews, would be treated as criminal if true. The governor has authorized a full investigation and prosecution by the state’s law enforcement.
Mr. DeSantis has also made symbolic gestures, such as leading a prayer for Israel on Oct. 12 with several evangelical groups organized by the Family Policy Alliance.
He ordered flags to be flown at half-staff for Israel and the Florida Capitol to be lit in blue and white each night from Oct. 9 to Oct. 13.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gestures as he speaks in the Spin Room following the first Republican Presidential primary debate at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Aug. 23, 2023. (Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images)
During an appearance at the Shul of Bal Harbour in Surfside, Mr. DeSantis went beyond symbolic gestures by calling for state legislation to increase sanctions against Iran, which is widely suspected of aiding the savage Hamas attacks.
The proposed sanctions would expand the list of scrutinized companies in Florida and prohibit state and local governments from contracting with them. This would strengthen Florida’s stance against states that sponsor terrorism.
The legislation would require certification from the president and Congress that Iran has ceased supporting international terrorism and acquiring weapons of mass destruction, as well as the lifting of all federal sanctions, before any Florida sanctions could be lifted.
In response to President Biden’s plan to send aid to Gaza, Mr. DeSantis released a video on Oct. 18, stating: “Joe Biden just announced $100 million of your taxpayer dollars going to the Gaza Strip. They say it’s humanitarian assistance. We know Hamas is going to commandeer that money, and Hamas is going to use it to advance terrorism.
Israel Consul General Maor Elbaz-Starinsky (R), speaks on Israel-Hamas war with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (L) at The Shul of Bal Harbour Synagogue in Surfside, Florida, on Oct. 10, 2023 (Screenshot/ The Florida Channel)
“I say no U.S. tax dollars to the Gaza Strip. We still have hostages being held by Hamas. There are American hostages being held by Hamas. How are you funding them when they’re holding Americans, as well as others, hostage?
“I challenge every Republican running: step up to the plate. Join me in opposing Biden’s $100 million gift to Hamas.”
Reports emerged over the weekend that up to 20,000 Americans were stranded as major airlines canceled flights to and from Israel, with no assistance from the U.S. embassy in Israel.
On Oct. 12, Mr. DeSantis issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in Florida, providing necessary funding and authority powers, including the activation of the Florida National Guard.
The state Division of Emergency Management arranged free charter flights from Tel Aviv for the stranded passengers.
In his executive order condemning the attacks, Mr. DeSantis highlighted the travelers’ inability to receive help from the U.S. government and the significant Jewish population in Florida, including “large numbers of dual Israeli-American citizens and Floridians with relatives and businesses in Israel.”
Palestinians flee from northern Gaza to the south after the Israeli army issued an unprecedented evacuation warning to a population of over 1 million people in northern Gaza and Gaza City to seek refuge in the south ahead of a possible Israeli ground operation, on Oct. 13, 2023. (Hatem Moussa/AP)
On Oct. 15, Mr. and Mrs. DeSantis personally greeted the first group of approximately 270 Floridians at Tampa International Airport. The state’s efforts were extended to include Americans who had been extracted by the federal government, but only as far as Athens, Greece.
The state is also providing transportation for supplies to Israel.
On Oct. 17, Mr. DeSantis announced on X that two cargo flights carrying 85 pallets of donated supplies were en route to Israel.
The medical supplies include bandages, hospital gowns, IV kits, ventilators, and tens of thousands of needles, syringes, and surgical gloves. Comfort items such as children’s toys, sleeping bags, clothing, and hygiene products were also included, according to the governor’s office.
In a video posted on X on Oct. 19, Mr. DeSantis said: ”I’m happy to report we had another flight, bringing Floridians back from Israel, land in the wee hours of the morning.
“We’ve been able to help hundreds of people get back from the warzone safely to the United States, to the state of Florida.
Demonstrators attend a rally in solidarity with Israel in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2023. (Ethan Swope/Getty Images)
“We’ve also put a lot of supplies that have been donated over to Israel and I know they’re really appreciative of it. And we’ve got another flight coming most likely tomorrow morning. So, [the] federal government dragged its feet.
“A lot of those folks didn’t have any options. We stepped up, showed the leadership, and are delivering results.”
Mr. DeSantis has strongly voiced his opposition to accepting any refugees from Gaza and has distanced himself from Ms. Haley’s stance on the matter.
“Over the weekend, she was taking issue with what I said,” he told Fox News’s Laura Ingraham on Oct. 17, “saying that you can separate someone who’s Hamas in Gaza with somebody who’s more of a freedom lover.
“So why would she be talking about that we can vet these people if she wasn’t saying that they should come to this country? We would have no role in vetting them unless you’re bringing them to this country.
Israeli rescue workers work to remove dead bodies from near a destroyed police station that was the site of a battle following a mass infiltration by Hamas shooters from the Gaza Strip, in Sderot, southern Israel, on Oct. 11, 2023. (Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters)
“And so, she changed her tune. But here’s the thing: I don’t think that we can successfully vet when you have a lot of this, that’s just endemic to the culture. You don’t have to be a member of Hamas, it doesn’t mean you’re going to be a good fit in the United States of America.”
“Bringing in people in mass numbers, you’re also bringing in the culture that they’re coming from, and the pathologies in Gaza, how they’re taught to hate Jews and all these other things. We don’t want to be importing that into our country.”
In response, Ms. Haley stated: “There’s no reason for any refugees to come to America, and my record’s very clear on that.”
However, the DeSantis campaign produced a video of her, during her January 2017 confirmation hearings to become UN ambassador, stating: “As governor of South Carolina, we always welcomed the refugee program.”
The campaign has also criticized President Trump’s controversial statements after the war broke out, including blaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and referring to Hezbollah as “smart.”
The campaign mocked “the Trump team’s pathetic attempt to clean up” their candidate’s remarks.
What stance has Governor DeSantis taken on the attacks on innocent civilians by Hamas?
H he believes is a major sponsor of Hamas. He expressed his commitment to strengthening Florida’s ties with Israel and ensuring the safety and security of its citizens.
In his speeches and statements, Governor DeSantis has emphasized the importance of standing with Israel and condemning the violence perpetrated by Hamas. He has recognized Israel’s right to defend itself and has vehemently condemned the attacks on innocent civilians. By doing so, he has shown unwavering support for Israel’s right to exist and to protect its citizens from terrorism.
Governor DeSantis has also been critical of President Joe Biden’s approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict. He
Now loading...