US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin says that now is not the time to equivocate on atrocities.
“This is no time for neutrality, or for false equivalence, or for excuses for the inexcusable,” Austin says at a press statement alongside his Israel counterpart Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv.
“There is never any justification for terrorism. And that’s especially true of this rampage by Hamas,” Austin adds.
Austin says that “anyone who wants lasting peace and security for this region must condemn and isolate Hamas,” adding that “Hamas does not speak for the Palestinian people, or their legitimate hopes for dignity, security and statehood and peace alongside Israel.”
Austin says that Hamas activity — “bloodthirsty, fanatical” — reminds him of the ISIS terror group: “Hamas has nothing to offer, but zealotry, bigotry and death.”
In a not-so veiled threat to Hezbollah in Lebanon, Austin says that “any country, or any group or anyone trying to take advantage of this atrocity… we have just one word: Don’t.”
It's not (only) about you.
Supporting The Times of Israel isn’t a transaction for an online service, like subscribing to Netflix. The ToI Community is for people like you who care about a common good: ensuring that balanced, responsible coverage of Israel continues to be available to millions across the world, for free.
Sure, we'll remove all ads from your page and you'll unlock access to some excellent Community-only content. But your support gives you something more profound than that: the pride of joining something that really matters.
Join the Times of Israel Community
Join our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this