'We stand with Israel'

The American Legion strongly condemns the violence in the Mideast and extends full support for the U.S. troops heading into the Eastern Mediterranean to deter further escalation, National Commander Daniel J. Seehafer said.

“We find ourselves on the precipice of a war that could lead to the loss of more lives and lead to a broader conflict,” Seehafer said. “We stand with Israel and condemn the attacks by Hamas. At the same time, we pray for those lost to the senseless violence and for the safety of our men and women in uniform who are standing by to protect our national interests.”

Hamas carried out a massive attack on Israel on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets while dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the border by air, land and sea. The attack occurred on Simchat Torah, a major Jewish holiday when Jews complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah scroll. 

More than 700 Israeli civilians and members of the military had been killed. Another 2,150 were wounded. "The enemy will pay an unprecedented price," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, adding that Israel would "return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known."

Additionally, Seehafer pointed out that this attack comes at a time when Congress has failed to act on several major issues related to national security.

“The fact that the U.S. House of Representatives is without a speaker is alarming,” he said. “Congress must prioritize filling the speaker’s seat and expediting key matters involving our military such as confirming all general officer nominations, funding our military and ensuring our servicemembers get paid.”