Jackson Purchase News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered remarks on the Senate floor regarding the terror group Hizballah.

“Since October 7th, the Israeli military has achieved remarkable success in destroying Hamas’ capacity to wage war and in targeting Hizballah terrorists,” McConnell stated.

He continued, “But Israel’s operations against the Iran-backed terrorists surrounding it have also succeeded in exposing some of the most malignant and persistent biases of Western media against the Jewish state of Israel.”

McConnell criticized prominent American media outlets for their coverage, stating, “We need look no further than the astonishing willingness of the most prominent outlets in America to parrot the terrorists’ preferred casualty figures, produced by Hamas’ own health ministry… Or the haste of even the nation’s so-called ‘paper of record’ to attribute to Israel a devastating rocket strike on a hospital that careful observation showed to be the work of the terrorists themselves.”

“To deny the role of careless coverage – and outright bias – in the groundswell of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic hate across the West is willful ignorance,” he added.

McConnell specifically called out National Public Radio (NPR), saying, “Consider just this morning’s example, courtesy of taxpayer-funded National Public Radio. In its coverage of an apparent Israeli operation to target Hizballah terrorists via their specialized communications networks, NPR described Hizballah as a ‘Lebanese militant and political group’. The most accurate descriptor of Hizballah – a terrorist organization – was conspicuously absent. But NPR editors did manage to include a quote from a man on the street accusing Israel of terrorism.”

“Well, as intrepid journalists so often remind us, context matters. And it matters especially in the work of an organization that takes federal government funding and whose CEO has declared that ‘reverence for truth might be a distraction…’ So let’s establish some context,” McConnell argued.

“Hizballah is arguably the world’s most dangerous terrorist group. The U.S. government, and more than sixty other countries recognize this essential characteristic,” he asserted.

He elaborated on Hizballah's activities: “Hizballah is funded, trained, and equipped by Iran. And with Iran’s help, Hizballah has conducted terror attacks around the world – from bombings in Argentina and Greece to backing the ghoulish Assad regime in Syrian Civil War.”

“Until 9/11, Hizballah was responsible for the deadliest terror attacks against United States citizens,” McConnell noted. He cited specific incidents: “killing 321 Americans in bombings of U.S. Embassy Marine barracks and annex in Beirut in 1983 and 1984.”

“They also coordinated with IRGC and its master terrorist Qassem Soleimani to kill hundreds of U.S. servicemembers in Iraq," he added. "And of course, Hizballah continues to threaten U.S personnel in Iraq and Syria today."

“One of Hizballah’s primary reasons for existence is murder Jews destruction Jewish state," he emphasized.

McConnell highlighted Lebanon's situation: “To extent political entity corrupted strangled Lebanon fragile democracy... efforts threaten Israel tens thousands rockets missiles terror tunnels facilitate infiltration Israel put Lebanon spotlight."

“So it may be worth mentioning that perhaps most carefully targeted series simultaneous attacks against terrorist operatives human history comes response all-consuming campaign turned Lebanon staging area war Israel existence," he said.

“How’s that for context?” he concluded.

“It my understanding senior Senator Vermont said introduce joint resolutions disapproving U.S security assistance Israel signal only empower embolden terrorists like Hamas Hizballah," McConnell warned.

“Each our colleagues deserves chance go record right away reject extremism," he urged.