Key Takeaways:
– Rep. Adam Schiff supports Israel’s right for a proportionate response against Iran’s missile attack.
– Schiff proposes that Israel should launch a defensive strike against Iranian ballistic missile factories.
– President Biden and the G7 members are not welcoming the idea of Israel striking Iranian nuclear sites.
– Schiff calls for empathy towards Israel’s situation, highlighting the threat Israel is under from multiple sources.
Advising a Proportional Response
Democrat stalwart and potential candidate for California’s Senate seat, Rep. Adam Schiff came out in support of Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran’s recent ballistic missile attack. Speaking on NBC news’s “Meet the Press,” Schiff suggested a proportionate response from Israel, urging them to target Iranian missile factories.
Rather than escalating tensions by attacking random Iranian sites, Schiff believes a more targeted response, aimed at the factories and storage areas where Iran’s ballistic missiles are produced, would not only be proportionate but also help to degrade Iran’s missile capacity.
Retaliation Amid Opposition
Despite President Biden ruling out Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites at a G7 meeting last week, Schiff maintains his argument that Israel has a right to respond proportionately. The U.S. president’s sentiments were echoed by other G7 members, who agreed on the necessity of a measured response, despite supporting Israel’s right to retaliate.
The Biden administration has been in close contact with Israeli officials, discussing potential next steps after Iran’s missile attack last Tuesday. The President and G7 are also contemplating further sanctions against Iran in response to its recent aggressive actions.
A Severe Situation Demanding Response
Schiff, who was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee from 2019 to 2023, directed the public’s attention to the severity of the situation Israel is currently dealing with. Criticizing the GOP’s accusations regarding Biden’s foreign policy and Middle Eastern strategies, he emphasized that this wasn’t just political rhetoric, but a matter of survival for a nation under threat.
In a bid to foster empathy, Schiff emphasized how unacceptable it would be if the U.S. found itself in a similar position. He brought attention to the fact that Israeli citizens were effectively being held hostage by militant groups, with many unable to return to their homes due to the constant threat of violence.
Israel’s Right to Counterstrike
Drawing parallels to the U.S.’s stance on terrorism, Schiff noted that no other nation would accept the rule of a terror organization like Hamas. Israel’s continued retaliation, in his view, comes from their dealing with constant attacks from terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
In Schiff’s perspective, given attacks on Israel, a proportionate military response is not only justifiable, but necessary. This highlights the need for comprehensive strategies to deal with the complex Middle Eastern geopolitical landscape.
As global powers prepare to discuss further sanctions against Iran at the G7 meeting, it remains clear that a combination of dialogue, international pressure, and military readiness will be required to maintain peace and stability in the region. Aligning policy across various stakeholders will also be key in preventing further collateral damage and escalation of conflict in the highly-turbulent region.