Israel's retaliation for the horrific violence inflicted by Hamas over the weekend is underway. The Floridian sat with Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) for her take on the evolving situation and comments made by pro-Palestine members of the Democratic Party.
Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick began by condemning Hamas as a terrorist organization "that does not have any regard for innocent Israeli lives," as evidenced by the atrocities Hamas committed against Israeli men, women, and children amidst the carnage.
At the same time, Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick added that Hamas does not hold innocent Palestinian lives in any regard either.
"They intentionally embed themselves in daycares, in homes, using people as human shields," said Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick about the tactic Hamas has been doing since at least 2007, according to the NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence (StratCom).
As StratCom described, such inhuman tactics have a twofold advantage: innocent people can die when Israel retaliates, which damages Israel's image. Thus, efforts to minimize innocent casualties and collateral damage let Hamas to slip away.
Hence Cherfilus-McCormick reiterates that Israel, acting in self-defense, should "continue the mechanisms they have been using to alert the Palestinians on when they are going to be bombed and attacked. They have always sent out text messages or leaflets to let them know the area is going to be bombed or attacked to allow for the innocent [emphasis hers] Palestinian people to leave."
.@CongresswomanSC says the she and America stand with @IsraeliPM
“Hamas does not have any regard for innocent Israeli lives” or Palestinians lives
READ MORE: https://t.co/tZum39AY8i#israel #IsraelFightsBack pic.twitter.com/TXKOpbmAJf
— The Floridian (@Floridianpress) October 12, 2023
As a result, as she stands with Israel "unequivocally," she "cannot help but also pray for the Palestinian lives that Hamas is putting at stake."
The Floridian asked for comment on members of the Democratic Party who have called Israel an "apartheid state," such as Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
Cherfilus-McCormick answered that Democrats must "always articulate the importance of all human life."
"One of the storylines Hamas would like us to believe is that this is a war between Israel and Palestine. This is not a war between Israel and Palestine. This is a war against Hamas, a terrorist organization, and we have to be clear on that," Cherfilus-McCormick continued.
From here, she said that once this distinction is made clear, "we start understanding the importance of prioritizing the lives of the Israelis, but also the Palestinians. They both deserve to live with dignity, and both deserve to live without fear, and they both deserve to live free. But how could you live free and in dignity when embedded in your country is a terrorist organization?"
In conclusion, Cherfilus-McCormick said, "Hamas is a terrorist organization designed to destroy Israel at any cost, even the cost of Palestinian lives."
As this interview was occurring, Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) was in Israel evacuating Americans trapped behind enemy lines.
