Sunday marked 100 days since thousands of heavily armed Hamas fighters stormed through and over the Gaza border fence and launched the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on southern Israel. This is now the longest war between Israel and Palestinians since Israel’s founding 75 years ago. In Israel, families and supporters of the remaining hostages marked the milestone with gatherings at Hostages Square, and protests erupted around the world over the weekend calling for a cease-fire.
Here in Georgia, Josh McKoon, chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, sent an open letter to convey a message of support from himself and the state party.
“To my Jewish friends around America, I have heard and seen with my own eyes the increase in antisemitic rhetoric, not just on the streets of American cities and in the halls of government, but especially on the campuses of our elite institutions of higher learning. I have noted with increased alarm the number of ‘elites’, including the Presidents of Ivy League Universities, defending antisemitism,” McKoon wrote.
“What I want you to know is that the Georgia Republican Party, as long as I am the Chairman, will stand by you and with you. We will push back against antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head. We want you to feel safe in your own country and we are ready and willing to take action to ensure that safety.”
McKoon went on to say that he wanted to make clear that the Georgia Republican Party stands without equivocation with the State of Israel in its war effort to eradicate Hamas. “Terrorism fueled by radical ideology endangers all of us and the very least we can do is to let Israelis know that Americans stand with them in taking the painful but necessary action to defend their country so that an attack like the horrors visited on Israelis, elderly, women, children, and infants — will never happen again.”
The GOP chairman went on to proclaim the Georgia Republican Party “will be the loudest voice proclaiming the right of Israel to defend itself.”
“When America was attacked on 9/11, Israeli support did not ebb after 100 days. During the two decades of American military action in Afghanistan and Iraq that followed we could always count on our friends in Israel. To put it simply, we will not back away and will stand steadfast with the only Middle Eastern democracy and America’s friend in good times and bad, the State of Israel.”
The Georgia GOP chair also encouraged Republicans to “wear 100” Sunday to show their support.
