A message to our enemies: Do not mistake Israeli democracy for weakness

Tuesday, October 27, was a celebration of Israeli democracy. As the dust settles on a historic Israeli election, there are plenty of important takeaways even before we know the makeup of the next governing coalition.

Turnout was historic, with 77.7% of eligible voters casting ballots, the highest in Israel’s history. It also appears that Arab parties will win an unprecedented number of seats in the upcoming Knesset.

Most importantly, however, the election results should daunt our enemies. Since October 7th, Israel has fought valiantly against the threats that surround us: Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and even the Iranian Regime itself. 

That experience remained a uniting factor throughout this election. All the major Israeli parties share the same philosophy: that Israel must address these threats and ensure they can never attack Israel again. 

If any of our enemies think that they can use this transition period to threaten the state of Israel, they are mistaken. Israeli citizens have proven that in a region of extremism, our democracy remains a beacon of hope to the rest of the world, and that we will fight to protect it. Our military remains on high alert and ready for any scenario. 

We are watching the Iranian regime’s resurgence closely. Eight months after devastating joint US-Israeli strikes, Iran is rebuilding its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Satellite images of facilities the United States attacked show renewed activity. Iran has even published a list of targets inside Israel. 

At the same time, an IRGC spokesperson this month threatened to turn Israel into “scorched earth,” and displace our residents to the Sinai Desert. So long as Iran can deliver on these threats, we take them seriously. 

Iran has also reaffirmed its support for terrorist proxies throughout our region. Its Assembly of Experts said supporting Hezbollah remains a “duty,” and Iran’s foreign minister called Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in June to reaffirm support. 

These are not empty statements. Hezbollah itself admitted Iran sent over $200 million, and that it is preparing for confrontation with Israel. Iranian weapons and funds continue to arm radical extremists that seek Israel’s destruction.

While Iran spends its time threatening Israel and bolstering our enemies, they continue to commit blatant human rights violations. Following the January protests, Iran has continued its policies of discriminating against minorities, conducting mass arrests, and executing political opponents. 

Even the UN is taking notice. A UN fact-finding mission referred to Iran’s January crackdown as the deadliest since the 1979 Revolution, and found that killings on a massive scale in all 31 Iranian provinces amounted to crimes against humanity. Since then, Iran has executed at least twenty people in expedited, sham trials over protests. This month, the UN called Iran the most prolific executioner per capita. 

Instead of protecting its own people and ending this repressive ideology, Iran chooses to lash out against the entire world, attacking commercial ships and murdering innocent sailors in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian aggression has led to oil, food, and energy price increases that are affecting people around the world, all while its own people face an inflation rate of nearly 80%! 

This is a reality the Israeli people will not accept. It is a moral abomination and a threat to our security. In the first election since October 7th, Israelis demonstrated that a secure and prosperous Middle East remains a top priority, and that we will defend our country from those who threaten to destroy it. 

Regardless of the outcome of these elections, I remain confident that Israel and the United States will continue our joint commitment to democracy. We will continue working together to advance our shared values in the region. We look forward to this new chapter of cooperation between our countries. 

Our message to the Iranian regime is clear. We will not stand by as Iran doubles down on its radical agenda. We will protect our people, and we hope that one day the Iranian people can experience the same freedom that our people enjoyed when they went to the polls.