Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) wore his Israel Defense Forces (IDF) military uniform on Friday on Capitol Hill in a showing of solidarity with the State of Israel following horrific attacks executed by Palestinian Hamas terrorists last weekend.
Mast notably served the United States Army for 12 years as a bomb disposal expert in Afghanistan and lost his legs in an explosion, CBN reported. He then volunteered in 2015 to work at an Israeli army base in a civilian capacity for two weeks, according to Jewish Press.
“As the only member to serve with both the United States Army and the Israel Defense Forces, I will always stand with Israel,” Mast posted to X.
As the only member to serve with both the United States Army and the Israel Defense Forces, I will always stand with Israel.
— Rep. Brian Mast (@RepBrianMast) October 13, 2023
Tlaib’s got her flag. I got my uniform. “Global Day of Rage” my ass. pic.twitter.com/WPWvst17ww
Mast also shaded Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who has taken heat for displaying the Palestinian flag outside of her congressional office. When questioned by reporters, Tlaib declined to comment on the flag or on Hamas terrorists decapitating babies, murdering children, and raping women in Israel. Tlaib, who is of Palestinian heritage, also attended an event celebrating Palestinian terror, glorifying “martyrs,” and calling for the destruction of the Jewish state, and appeared to claim in an statement that Hamas’s violence against Israeli women and children was “resistance” in response to “suffocating, dehumanizing conditions” in Gaza.
“Tlaib’s got her flag. I’ve got my uniform. ‘Global Day of Rage’ my ass,” Mast said, referencing a call from a former Hamas chief for Muslims to wage “jihad” on Friday and sacrifice their “blood and souls” in solidarity with Hamas.
Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), who is the only Representative to serve in the US Army and Israeli Defense Forces told reporters: "Tlaib's got her flag; I've got my uniform." pic.twitter.com/31m5whjEk3
— CSPAN (@cspan) October 13, 2023
Friday marked the seventh day of the war between Hamas and Israel. Hamas launched the terror attack on Israel early Saturday, Oct. 7, and has thus far killed more than 1,300 people and injured more than 3,400, according to reports. The attack occurred on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret, the last day of the High Holy Day cycle.
More than 150 Israelis were also kidnapped to Gaza — including women, children, and the elderly, many of whom were abused during their abductions. The Palestinian terror attack against Israel has been referred to as the “worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.”
(Warning: Graphic content)
This is Erez Kalderon, an Israeli boy. He is 12 years old.
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) October 10, 2023
Erez is missing, kidnapped by Hamas terrorists, after they invaded Kibbutz Nir Oz and set everything on fire.
Erez and his entire family are unaccounted for.
Please SHARE so the world knows and demands their return! pic.twitter.com/MeHCrePB5v
Immediately in response to the attack, the Israeli Air Force has struck at least 1,000 terror targets in Gaza. Israel has also mobilized 300,000 reservists, and has since reportedly conducted “localized raids” in Gaza against Palestinian terrorists and launched strikes against Hezbollah sites in Lebanon.
Hundreds of foreign nationals in Israel have also been reported murdered, missing, or abducted by Hamas terrorists following the deadly invasion. At least 27 Americans have been killed, and an unspecified number of Americans have been taken hostage or remain unaccounted for.
18-year-old Natalie Raanan from Chicago is one of the U.S. citizens taken to Gaza and held hostage by Hamas.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 10, 2023
She and her mother Judith were both kidnapped while visiting family members.
🇺🇸🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/4KE297tFLA