On Forbes Newsroom, Nassau County Legislator Josh Lafazan responded to the horrific attacks on Israel by Hamas from air, land and sea on October 7th in what was the deadliest attack that nation has seen in decades.
Lafazan, who is running as a Democrat for embattled Rep. George Santos’ (R-NY) seat in Congress, expressed total condemnation for the responses of fellow Democrats and potential future House colleagues Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). The Democratic lawmaker called both congresswomen anti-Semites, slamming Tlaib’s statement that called for Israel to “dismant[le] the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance.”
Lafazan said that Tlaib is “an anti-Semite and not a serious person let alone someone who’s deserving of being in Congress, along with Ilhan Omar.” He called for Democrats like himself to “speak up and unequivocally condemn” the two Congresswomen, stating, “the time for being quiet is over.”
Lafazan endorsed Ilhan Omar’s removal from the Foreign Affairs Committee, a move made by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy and opposed by the Democratic Caucus. Asked how he would serve alongside them in the Democratic caucus, Lafazan said that multiple members of Congress “who I don’t believe should be there,” and said he’d focus on mainstream politicians to pass legislation.
Lafazan, who has family in Israel, praised President Biden’s response to the vicious attacks, calling it a “strong message to [Israel’s] adversaries, as well as to its supporters.” He called for continued and swift U.S. support to provide Israel’s military and Iron Dome with the munitions and aid it needs.
Lafazan also called out Harvard student group denunciations of Israel following the attack by Hamas. “They’re on the wrong side of history,” the Democratic lawmaker and Harvard alum said. He called for elite schools to speak up against the rising tide of “radical” anti-Israel students, which he sees as coming from Internet radicalization.
Watch the full interview above.
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