Israel war: In Israel response, DeSantis beats both Biden and Trump
Kimberly Ross
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Late on Sunday evening, a flight touched down in Tampa, Florida, carrying Americans evacuated from Israel. On Monday, a few more arrived. All were grateful to be back in the U.S. little more than one week after the world watched in horror as Hamas slaughtered innocent men, women, and children simply for existing. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) led the evacuation effort in concert with Project Dynamo. He may only be running for the highest office in the land, but his actions are already presidential.
The executive order signed by DeSantis on Oct. 12 allows “the State of Florida to carry out logistical, rescue and evacuation operations to keep its residents safe.” Approximately 300 Americans arrived safely back home because DeSantis stepped up and made a decision to help. According to his press release, additional flights will carry more Americans back here to safety with possibly 700-1,000 evacuated before it’s all over. Before the first flight arrived, the governor released a brief video from the airport, stating, “There was a [void] of leadership, so we stepped up and led.” He is not wrong.
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The Biden administration has not made it easy for Americans to escape from the war-torn region. The climate grows more tense each day. Talking with Fox News, DeSantis said, “It was sad because the State Department and the embassy over in Israel were not helpful to these people,” adding that Americans in Israel were given options such as being dumped in the nearby island of Cyprus.
It’s one thing to disagree that the U.S. should help militarily or even supply aid to a foreign ally. The situation is different when Americans are stranded in a dangerous crisis. The latter requires swift and prudent executive leadership, regardless of optics.
The contrast between President Joe Biden and DeSantis is stark. DeSantis is unapologetic in his admiration for and commitment to Israel. He understands they are our allies and exist as a beacon in a dark, terror-filled region of the world. His condemnation of both Hamas and Hezbollah can’t be misunderstood. And he was quick to offer a practical solution to hundreds of Americans who wanted to leave Israel for the safety of the United States.
The contrast between former President Donald Trump and DeSantis is stark, too. In his never-ending quest to undergird his ego, Trump criticized Israel and its leadership and labeled the terrorist group Hezbollah as “very smart.” This came less than a week after the rape, murder, burnings, beheadings, and kidnappings that occurred across Israel. These words would even be bad coming from regular citizens. But they came from a former president and current GOP front-runner for the 2024 presidential nomination. Unconscionable. On social media, DeSantis made clear his opposition to Trump’s comments by posting, “As President, I will stand with Israel and treat terrorists like the scum that they are.”
Some may view DeSantis’s actions to fly Americans home as a stunt to help his image and boost campaign popularity. But there is zero room to be upset about rescue efforts even if one does not like DeSantis. Americans are home. Among the evacuees are 91 children. In Israel, children were among those butchered by Hamas. Currently, the terrorist group is still holding hostages in Gaza. The hostages include children. What matters most of all is that Americans were rescued from a situation that may have turned deadly for them. And the person to thank for spearheading the operation is DeSantis.
Voters are tired of hearing words and seeing little to no action. We’ve heard enough talk from Biden. It’s talk that does not line up with the reality around us. We’ve heard enough talk from Trump, who demands GOP voter loyalty while behaving in a decidedly anti-American way.
Voters have heard enough from the two old men desperate for our vote. Meanwhile, presidential candidate DeSantis took the reins and exhibited presidential behavior during a time when it was sorely lacking.
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Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.