DALLAS — Texas Republican Congressman Keith Self says the United States should take all available measures to defend Israel.
He and five other House Republicans, including Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger, sent a letter to President Biden requesting that he unlock all Congressionally approved aid for Israel that may still be held up.
And it’s not just the dollars.
Congressman Self also referred to the Biden Administration’s decision back in April to pause a shipment of munitions to Israel, including 1,800 2,000-pound bombs, which are considered massive weapons.
The Republican says they don’t know exactly how much aid isn’t flowing other than some funds that were approved by Congress in October of last year.
In that same letter, the House Republicans also called on the Biden Administration to enforce all sanctions in place against Iran, particularly involving its oil.
Iran intensified tensions in the region when it recently launched a barrage of long-range missiles at Israel.
“Their oil sale money is what they’re using to fund terrorism around the world,” Congressman Self told us on Inside Texas Politics.
Self says they have yet to hear back from the White House, and they don’t expect to.
In terms of Israel’s response to Iran, the Congressman says there are three possible targets.
“You can hit the oil production facilities or the pumping stations. You can hit the nuclear facilities. Or you can hit their launch sites,” he explained.
The lawmaker tells us he doesn’t expect Israel to hit Iran’s nuclear facilities, thinking they’ll focus on the launch sites instead before turning attention to oil production or shipping, the primary sources of Iran’s revenue.
He also made clear that no American troops should be engaged on the ground anywhere in the Middle East. The Republican says 40,000 or so are in the region currently, and nobody wants them in combat.
Reiterating his letter, Congressman Self says the best way America can support Israel is to release the weapons systems Congress has already approved.