Iowa Senator Joni Ernst took a trip to Israel where a recent attack from a terrorist organization has sparked a declaration of war from the country.
Ernst told Radio Iowa that Hamas, the group responsible for the weekend attack that killed over 1,100 people, must be destroyed.
“We’re talking about a terrorist organization that has taken over the Gaza Strip,” Ernst said. “They are terrorists, no different than al Qaida, no different than ISIS.” Senator Joni Ernst
Ernst, a Republican, and three Democrats from the U.S. House met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as the leader of the opposition party in Israel. She says Hamas chose this weekend to strike knowing it was a major Jewish holiday and there would be many Americans visiting family in Israel. Israel declared war on Sunday.
“I know there have been protests even in Iowa, people standing with Hamas, and we need them to understand that this organization is exactly like ISIS.” Senator Joni Ernst
Ernst is calling for freezing $6 billion of Iran’s assets, being held in South Korea, that was part of a prisoner swap the Biden Administration arranged between the U.S. and Iran last month.
“Congress needs to come in and lean in heavy on this and make sure that those assets are frozen once again and make sure that Iran cannot access that money. We cannot continue to enable terrorism.” Senator Joni Ernst
