East Idaho Times

U.S. Senator Mike Crapo, along with 48 Senate colleagues, has introduced a Senate Resolution to commemorate the attack on Israel that occurred on October 7, 2023. In his statement marking the one-year anniversary of the event, Crapo expressed his support for Israel and condemned the actions of Hamas.

Crapo described the attack as occurring "just as the sun began to rise" when "barbaric Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel and launched a widescale attack on thousands of innocent Israeli citizens." He noted that significant violence took place at a music festival intended to celebrate Jewish holidays and promote friendship and love. According to Crapo, "Hamas terrorists kidnapped, tortured and brutally murdered thousands of innocent people," which disrupted peace in the Middle East.

The senator highlighted that nearly 100 individuals remain hostage in Gaza, with about a third presumed dead. Among those captive are at least seven Americans and two small children. Crapo stated his commitment to advocating for their release: "As we remember all those murdered and tortured at the hands of Hamas, I continue to press for the release of the remaining hostages."

Crapo also addressed rising antisemitism in the United States, noting an increase in hate crimes against Jews by 63 percent in 2023. Despite Jews making up only two percent of the U.S. population, they were victims in 68 percent of religiously-motivated hate crimes. He emphasized his dedication to combating antisemitic hate: "More must be done to protect Jews in the United States, and I will not let up in efforts to stop antisemitic hate."

In closing, Crapo reaffirmed his support for Israel: "I continue to stand unwaveringly with Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East, and its right to defend itself from ongoing threats from Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists."

The full text of the resolution is available online.