Rep. Vargas' Statement on Escalating Violence in the Middle East
Washington, D.C. (May 18, 2021) – Today, Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51) released the following statement regarding the escalating violence in the Middle East:
“Hamas and Islamic Jihad have unleashed terror on Israel and its citizens. The illegal actions of these US-designated terrorist groups has brought termendous suffering to the Palestinian people. Any deaths from these events are the result of Hamas and Islamic Jihad’s illegal terroist acts. Israel, our strongest democratic ally in the Middle East, has a right to defend itself. While Israel is using weapons to defend its people, Hamas is using its people to defend their weapons. Firing weapons at civilians from schools and homes is a double war crime. The US must stand with Israel and demand that Hamas and Islamic Jihad end these acts of terror immediately.”