(NewsReady.com) – Israel is currently bombing Gaza with the goal of eliminating Hamas. The war began after the terrorist group killed hundreds of innocent Israelis in a sneak attack. Republicans are now preemptively weighing in on whether America should take refugees.
After the attack by Hamas, Israel announced it was cutting off food, water, and electricity to Gaza. The 141-square-mile region is home to more than 2 million people, approximately half of which are children. Gaza has already been under a strict blockade for almost 20 years. The United Nations called the situation in the region “an unprecedented catastrophe.”
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said, “Gaza is being strangled and the world seems to have lost its humanity.”
Generally, the United States would accept refugees from the region. However, there seems to be no appetite for that in the US, especially among Republican presidential candidates.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) is making the issue a focal point of his campaign. He has repeatedly said he doesn’t want to accept Muslims from Gaza, claiming they all hate Jewish people. He said, “Palestinian Arabs should go to Arab countries.”
I’ve been very clear: The U.S. should not be absorbing any Gaza refugees. Neighboring Arab nations should open their borders and absorb them.
Every Republican presidential candidate should follow suit. pic.twitter.com/0iQDsHptoG
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) October 15, 2023
Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley opposes taking refugees. A spokesperson for her campaign said she believes “Hamas-supporting countries like Iran, Qatar, and Turkey” should take them instead.
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) is also against taking any Gaza refugees. While he doesn’t agree with DeSantis that they are all anti-Semitic, he thinks it’s a bad idea to accept them into the US. Former President Donald Trump has promised to suspend refugee resettlement and prohibit Gazans from entering the US.
The United States currently has no plans to resettle refugees from the region. President Joe Biden has not issued any policy directives to do so.
Copyright 2023, NewsReady.com
