Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) blasted the Biden administration Saturday as America’s ally Israel faces attacks from Iran-backed Hamas. Scott said the president is “complicit” because his negotiations with Iran “funded the attack in many ways.”
The unprecedented attack on Israel, which comes nearly a month after Biden gave Iran access to $6 billion, prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare that his country “is at war” as the Israel Defense Force launched “Operation Swords of Iron” to defend the country from the terrorists. The South Carolina senator and Republican presidential candidate told The Daily Wire in a phone interview that the president’s foreign policy stances opened the door for terrorists in the Middle East to attack America’s ally.
“Biden’s weakness invited attacks, his negotiations actually funded the attack in many ways, and Biden wanted Israel to stand down after the attack,” Scott said. “It just makes Biden, our president, complicit in those attacks.”
Hundreds of people are dead and more than 1,000 people wounded, according to Israeli officials, after Palestinian terrorists fired rockets and infiltrated Israel, carrying out attacks on military personnel and civilians. Hamas said that it had taken dozens of soldiers and citizens hostage, and images and videos circulating social media showed the Palestinian terrorists hunting down civilians in the streets and celebrating over the dead bodies of Israelis.
Scott condemned the first statement from the Biden administration that told Israel to stand down after the launch of the terrorist attack on its country. The statement from the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs — posted to X — was deleted after numerous Republican lawmakers expressed outrage at the statement.
“We unequivocally condemn the attack of Hamas terrorists and the loss of life that has incurred,” the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs said in the statement shortly after Hamas launched its attack. “We urge all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks. Terror and violence solve nothing.”
A State Department spokesperson told The Washington Free Beacon that the statement was taken down because it “was not approved and does not represent U.S. policy,” but Scott slammed the miscommunication, saying it threatens America’s relationship with its allies.
“It’s that kind of inconsistency and confusion that comes out of this administration that can sometimes paralyze our allies,” he said.
The Gaza Strip, which is partly controlled by Hamas, has also received American taxpayer dollars directly from the Biden administration. In July of 2022, Biden announced the U.S. would be sending $316 million in aid to Palestinians after Trump stopped sending them foreign aid.
Scott pinned numerous foreign policy failures on the president since his inauguration in January of 2021, from the botched Afghanistan withdrawal to his “minor incursion” comments on Ukraine. The senator said the Biden administration has caused America’s allies to question if they can count on them.
“I have had conversations with … leaders from other countries, and I want them to know that we are loyal to our allies, and it seems to be a question mark globally if that’s a fact. “
Scott added that the U.S. must have Israel’s back and keep in constant communication with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, giving the country any support it needs. America’s adversaries need to know that “we are going to stand toe-to-toe with anyone that threatens the United States of America and our allies,” the senator continued.
“Moving the Sixth Fleet into the region would be a helpful step and making sure that with this humanitarian response, we are as helpful to the nation of Israel as possible,” said Scott. “And then determine what the next steps are.”
“I believe one of the missing ingredients is making sure our intelligence apparatus is as effective as possible — on the ground with real-time information coming back,” he added.
President Biden issued a statement on the attack later in the morning, saying he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “reiterated [his] unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.”
Scott told The Daily Wire that Biden’s “next statement was a strong statement, but his policies and his decisions have been weak.”