American Jewry and Israel, America’s closest ally, need friends and fierce advocates in Congress, especially now. Tom Suozzi is the right person at the right time.

Tom’s demonstrated commitment to supporting Israel, his deep understanding of government and the U.S.-Israel relationship, and his fearlessness in defending the Jewish state – including against antisemites within his own party – is exactly what we need right now.

All these essential characteristics are evident in Tom Suozzi’s very first speech on the floor of Congress seven years ago on Jan 5, 2017. In that maiden speech newly elected Congressman Suozzi condemned the recently passed United Nations Resolution 2334, which declared that all of Israel’s presence outside its pre-1967 borders is illegal.

The anti-Israel UN resolution declared that Jewish control of the Kotel was illegal.
That Jewish sovereignty in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City was illegal. That Jewish jurisdiction over holy sites such as the Cave of Machpelah, in Hebron, where tradition holds that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah are buried was Illegal.

In his brief, but impactful first official speech as a member of Congress, Tom Suozzi completely eviscerated the UN resolution’s wrongful notion that Jewish life in the eternal Jewish homeland is an obstacle to peace. Rather, as Tom stated that day, the obstacle to peace is “anti-Israel terrorism.”

The fact that he chose to stand up for Israel on day one of his congressional career is itself a testament to his genuine and heartfelt commitment. Of all the issues on which he campaigned, of all the issues which he and his supporters cared about, of all the governmental and political forces and pressures pushing and pulling him to make a statement about this or that, Tom Suozzi devoted his first speech in that hallowed chamber to defending the safety and security of the Jewish state.

He did so despite the fact that it was a prior Democratic administration that declined to veto the UN resolution, thus letting it reach the Security Council for a vote in the first place. It tells us that Tom will not back down, will not relent, will not sit still, and will not look the other way when Israel is unjustly singled out, maligned, and attacked.

Tom marshaled the evidence, and deployed his understanding of government and the U.S.-Israel relationship, to clearly demonstrate that he takes the job seriously and will continue to deliver. We need a representative in Congress who believes in the fundamental right of the Jewish people to self-determination and security, and who has proven that they will show up prepared and able to work every lever of government possible to get results. Tom has the knowledge of how government works, the relationships on both sides of the aisle, and the understanding of our issues to get the job done.

Tom has continued to be one of Israel’s and American Jewry’s fiercest advocates, fighting for unconditional aid for Iron Dome and David’s Sling, condemning (publicly on CNN) antisemitic comments by Democratic colleagues like Ilhan Omar, passing bipartisan legislation to sanction the terrorist use of human shields, and even traveling to Israel as recently as December to support Israel and Jews throughout the world during this
difficult time.

Governing is hard. For American Jewry and America’s closest ally, Israel, Tom Suozzi is the right person at the
right time … for the right place. That place is the United States Congress.

Rory Lancman

Great Neck