Statement from Senator Ron Wyden                                                                   October 10, 2023

 

President Truman sent a message 75 years ago to the entire world when he recognized the state of Israel only 11 minutes into its existence. Then as now, Israel’s future hung in the balance.

At that life-and-death moment in May 1948, the United States set in motion an alliance with a fledgling democratic government formed in the aftermath of the Holocaust. And that alliance would prove rock-solid through the decades to come.
 

Tonight, let a similar message ring out to the world from all of us gathered here in Portland , and from Americans everywhere …

Terrorism. Will. Not. Win.

 

And for my colleagues 3,000 miles from here in Washington, DC -- but most especially for the Israelis fighting for their lives tonight 7,000 miles from here -- let’s also re-commit loudly to the unshakeable commitment our country made during Israel’s first hour of life:

 

The United States. Will Stand. With Israel.

 

It’s no secret there have been differences in our community over the Supreme Court in Israel and other matters too many to mention with Israel’s elected leaders. Those honest differences are as things should be among our two democracies.

 

But let’s be clear about what’s happened over the past few days. Terrorists carried out a plot on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War that in 1973 also threatened Israel’s survival. 

 

The result of this weekend’s heinous attack by Hamas on Simchat Torah, is thousands of deaths, with who knows how many more to come.  

If that weren’t horrific enough -- we have all seen the unimaginable accounts of Hamas terrorists acting on the orders of their genocidal leadership,  targeting civilian women and children for kidnapping, rape, and murder.  

 

Sadly, non-combatants die in war, BUT only the most monstrous criminals of history make it their goal to brutalize them.  Tragically, we are facing those criminals yet again.   

 

So no, instead of celebrating our Simchat Torah -  this is, a time for sorrow, and for our grim resolve to do everything in our power to help Israel defend itself.  

 

As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I’m sure there will be briefings to come in the days ahead. But it’s not exactly a state secret that Israel stands at an existential moment.

 

 At this perilous time for our Jewish state, I have never been prouder to be the son of Peter and Edith Wyden.

 

My parents, who were German Jews, fled Nazi Germany for refuge in the United States, where they not only found safe haven … they served their adopted country by enlisting to defeat the Nazis.

 

My parents fought for their new country with the memories seared forever in their minds of family members killed in the Holocaust during Kristallnacht, and at the Theresienstadt camp.

 

Out of the ashes of the Holocaust rose Israel. And standing right beside Israel at that historic moment 75 years ago was the United States.

 

We stand here now at this moment of crisis-

 

Let us commit here tonight to demonstrate the  same resilience and resolve that has carried us through the ages, confident in the knowledge that We. Will. Prevail.  

 

The Terrorists. Will. Never. Win."