ICYMI: Ernst Leads the Call to Bring American Hostages Home, Stand with Israel
“Senate Republicans stand in solidarity with Israel as they defend their country and work to defeat Iran-backed Hamas.”
WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and co-chair of the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus, is leading the call to bring American hostages held by Iran-backed Hamas home and to force the Biden-Harris administration to stand with Israel.
Ernst has been a fierce advocate for freeing the hostages and kept up the drumbeat to bring them home.
On October 7, she was in the Middle East and went to Israel just days after Iran-backed Hamas’ attacks to show her support for our ally. In the wake of the horrific terrorist assault, Ernst met with the hostage families in Israel and has remained in close contact with them. In January, she returned to the Middle East and advocated for the release of the hostages in meetings with senior leadership and lead negotiators in Egypt, Israel, Qatar, and Bahrain.
Learn about her more recent advocacy below:
Last Tuesday, Ernst led a bipartisan group of senators in telling the stories of the American hostages and calling for an end to the uncertainty their families have endured since October 7th:
“While the hostage families are ever-hopeful, as am I, that they will one day be able to embrace their loved one again, it is incumbent upon the administration, especially at this crucial time, to remain focused on freeing our American hostages,” Ernst said. “At a minimum, President Biden and Vice President Harris should say their names, share their stories, and be unafraid to tell the truth about Hamas and the need for Israel to fully destroy this Iran-backed terror regime. Today, my colleagues and I are standing up for these hostages and standing with their families and our friends in Israel.”
Ahead of Netanyahu’s address to Congress, Ernst led a dozen Senate Republicans in calling Biden and Harris to action on behalf of our hostages while they snubbed Israel and waffled on their “ironclad” commitment:
“When Israel needed support and our citizens needed saving, President Biden withheld weapons and Vice President Harris fueled pro-Hamas rhetoric.
“Never should this have happened. Senate Republicans stand in solidarity with Israel, we stand in solidarity with the Prime Minister as they defend their country and work to defeat Iran-backed Hamas,” Ernst said.
Last Wednesday, Ernst joined CNN and stood shoulder to shoulder with the parents of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin to amplify their message:
“We cannot forget that nearly 40 Americans were killed on October 7th, eight of them were taken hostage, among those Hersh,” Ernst said. “We need to do what we can as America to help Israel find a way to win this war and bring our hostages home.”
“Iran is stoking the fire here in the United States. Let’s never forget, they chant ‘death to Israel’ as well as ‘death to America.’”
On Sunday, Ernst called out Biden and Harris’ failed record of appeasement that has emboldened Iran and called for peace through strength:
“We saw under President Donald J. Trump the strength. We saw the Abraham Accords that brought stability to the Middle East. Under this administration that bows to Iran, allows appeasement towards Iran, and won’t enforce sanctions against Iran, we have seen a world on fire,” Ernst said. “This is the difference: peace and stability under President Trump. Absolute chaos under Biden-Harris.”
“Harris will continue with these deadly policies,” Ernst continued. “Her appeasement of Iran and the enabling of these terrorist proxies has not only killed Israelis, but we must remember that in that attack, we had…Americans who lost their lives on October 7. We have eight Americans still being held hostage in the Gaza Strip, five of whom we believe might still be alive.”
This week, Ernst joined Christians United for Israel and reiterated her call to bring all our American hostages home:
“Now is the moment when America must proudly stand with Israel and our Jewish brothers and sisters here and around the world. Israel has every right to defend herself. Hamas must be destroyed. We must free our American hostages in Gaza and return them safely home to their loved ones. The best way to achieve these difficult but achievable goals is by building a coalition through strong and enduring American leadership,” Ernst said.
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