Rep. Trent Franks (R., Ariz.) called President Obama's support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "an unprecedented act of cowardice and betrayal", in a passionate speech Friday on the House floor. Franks characterized Obama's backing of Palestine as a "flushed and breathless rush to embrace terrorists launching rockets at Israeli children."
Franks declared that Abbas had "openly united with the evil terrorist group Hamas", and expressed shock that "the Obama administration has had the reprehensible gall to praise Abbas as someone who is 'committed to nonviolence and cooperation with Israel.'"
"America's fleet should this minute be off the coast of Israel," Franks concluded, "and the world, including Abbas, Hamas, and Hezbollah, should know that America's arsenal of freedom stands ready to defend our most precious ally on earth."
Franks' full statement below:
Mr. Speaker, last month Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas openly united with the evil terrorist group Hamas, and at this very moment they are raining down rockets upon the innocent citizens of Israel. Half of all Israelis have sought cover in bomb shelters across their tiny country. And the Obama administration has had the reprehensible gall to praise Abbas as someone who is "committed to nonviolence and cooperation with Israel", and to further proclaim in an Israeli newspaper that, quote, "finally peace is possible." Mr. Speaker, I thought nothing this president could ever say or do would surprise me any more, but this flushed and breathless rush to embrace terrorists launching rockets at Israeli children is an unprecedented act of cowardice and betrayal. America's fleet should this minute be off the coast of Israel, and the world, including Abbas, Hamas, and Hezbollah, should know that America's arsenal of freedom stands ready to defend our most precious ally on earth.