'Ultimately, we are on the side of Israel,' says Louisiana's state treasurer John Fleming
WATCH LIVE: State department gives update as Blinken delivers strongest rebuke of Israel
The Secretary of State publicly called for the Jewish state to 'get out of Gaza.'
FIRST ON FOX: More than 20 U.S. state-level financial officers are urging the Biden administration to continue its support for Israel amid the Israel Defense Forces' recent invasion of Rafah.
"As state financial officers, we appreciate your early pledges of ironclad support for Israel following the October 7th attacks. Yet, we are concerned that commitment has wavered in recent months," 23 members of the State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF) wrote in a letter to Biden on Tuesday. SFOF is a "small government, pro-growth" conservative group comprised of state auditors, treasurers and comptrollers, according to its website.
"Violent, antisemitic protests have erupted across the country. Recent comments equivocating on this abhorrent behavior have only served to further embolden protesters," the letter continued. "We are alarmed that in Israel’s hour of need, it appears the precision weapons that Israel needs to defend its very right to exist are being withheld."
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An Israeli tank moves near the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel on Thursday, April 11. (AP/Tsafrir Abayov)
The state financial officers from Alabama, Louisiana, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia and Kansas also filed a resolution that establishes its unwavering support for Israel and sent it to the White House.
The officers' resolution vowed their states "will not invest in entities that convey antisemitic sentiments or that contribute to non-profit organizations that are openly antisemitic" and "will use our authority, as appropriate and applicable, to address the anti-West cancer that has infected the educational institutions within our states."
Last week, President Biden threatened to withhold weapons from Israel if the Jewish State goes forward with its invasion of Rafah, Hamas' last stronghold in Gaza. Biden clarified that the U.S. will continue sending defensive weapons to Israel, like supplies for Israel's Iron Dome.
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President Biden threatened to withhold weapons from Israel if they went forward with an invasion of Rafah. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The state treasurers are urging Biden to "eliminate any equivocation in your words and actions when it comes to support for Israel, as it fights against the horrors of the terrorist group Hamas."
John Fleming, Louisiana's state treasurer, told Fox News Digital in an interview he was one of the first officers to sign onto the letter.
"Israel should not stop, and we shouldn't stop helping Israel until they eliminate Hamas," Fleming said. "But at the same time, trying to protect the Palestinians, the Gazans as much as possible."
Fleming compared the fight against Hamas to America's war against ISIS extremism, saying "Hamas is a terrorist organization" similar to ISIS.
"They didn't ask for this war," Fleming said. "They were attacked, and in the most vile and evil way, where people were taken hostage, where women were raped and mutilated."
"We believe in the right for people to protest and the First Amendment, but we are opposed to anybody of either side, attacking or harming someone in their quest to get their message out. But ultimately, we are on the side of Israel," Fleming said.
BIDEN ADMIN SHOULD CHECK HAMAS' MINISTRY OF HEALTH DEATH STATS, EXPERT WARNS
Palestinians, including women and children, living in makeshift tents at the foot of the wall separating the Gaza Strip and Egypt on May 9, 2024 in Rafah, Gaza. (Hani Alshaer/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Israel has taken military action in Rafah, but according to Biden, they have yet to cross his red line in entering population centers.
"Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers," Biden told CNN’s Erin Burnett in an interview released Wednesday.
"I made it clear that if they go into Rafah – they haven’t gone in Rafah yet – if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities – that deal with that problem," Biden said.
Biden added, "I’ve made it clear to Bibi and the war cabinet: They’re not going to get our support, if in fact they go on these population centers."
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Biden has been criticized by Republicans after it was revealed last week that his administration was stalling its shipments of weapons to Israel even after Congress passed its foreign aid package.
Anti-Israel protests have erupted across the country on college campuses over the last few weeks.
Fox News Digital's Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.
Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.
