Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has called on Israel to use overwhelming force against Hamas in response to the recent rocket attacks from Gaza. DeSantis has said that Israel should not be “proportionate” in its response, and that it should aim to “eliminate Hamas.”
The Republican presidential candidate made the remarks during an interview Wednesday on Newsmax when asked what he believes Israel’s response should be inside Gaza.
“I think the reason why we’ve gotten to this point is because for decades, Israel would respond to acts of terror, but they would be very careful to do it in ways that were considered ‘proportionate’ and that would not get them international condemnation because the minute they start doing anything, they’re always under the microscope,” he said. “I think in this situation, we in America, we just got to stand with them. The goal should not be a ‘proportionate’ response, it should be the elimination of Hamas and the terrorist infrastructure that has grown up in Gaza.”
“So when you hear people like AOC, and you see some of that stuff complaining about Gaza, Israel doesn’t occupy Gaza; they pulled out a Gaza in 2005,” he said. “You could have had the Palestinian Arabs there; they could have made something of that. It’s actually a pretty coastline. But instead, they basically elected Hamas to run, so they’ve chosen this course. And I just think Israel’s in a situation where their population has been decimated with terrorist attacks. And it just has to stop. This will be the final battle with Hamas.”
DeSantis’s call for Israel to use overwhelming force against Hamas has been met with mixed reactions. Some have praised DeSantis for his strong stance against terrorism, while others have criticized him for advocating for disproportionate violence.
Those who support DeSantis’s call for overwhelming force argue that it is necessary to deter Hamas from carrying out future attacks. They argue that Hamas is a terrorist organization that has repeatedly targeted Israeli civilians, and that Israel has a right to defend itself.
DESANTIS urges Israel to end Hamas:
"The goal should not be a 'proportionate response' — it should be the elimination of Hamas.” pic.twitter.com/5cpX4hNMrd
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) October 11, 2023
