WASHINGTON — Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) railed Monday against the Harris-Biden administration’s response to the Oct. 7th attack on Israel one year ago — saying the deadly Hamas operation was an “attack on America.”
“October 7th was not just an attack on Israel, and it was not just an attack on Jews, it was an attack on Americans — and every single American of common sense and principle must reject it,” the Republican vice presidential candidate told a “Standing with Israel” rally on the National Mall.
Vance, 40, also directly hit Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden for their failure to secure the release of dozens of American and Israeli hostages who have been held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas for the past 12 months.
“It is disgraceful that we have an American president and vice president that haven’t done a thing” to bring the hostages home, Vance said, asking Harris to use her “authority” to do it.
Both Biden and Harris have been working to negotiate a cease-fire and hostage deal between Hamas and Israel, to no avail — any many observers do not believe a deal will happen before the president leaves office Jan. 20.
Monday’s event on the Mall was sponsored by the Philos Project, a nonprofit that supports Christian and Jewish engagement.
Philos executive director Luke Moon said he had secured a permit to rally on the National Mall Monday “so the Hamas guys don’t get it.”
Vance in his remarks also laid out how an administration led by former President Donald Trump would protect American Jews, “stop funding” anti-Jewish “radicals” and bring home American hostages from all over the world.
The policies would include stripping “accreditation and the federal support of colleges” that don’t protect pro-Israel students, Vance said.
“We want to give Israel the right and the ability to finish what Hamas started,” he added. “Israel didn’t start this, Hamas did, but Israel is going to finish it.”
