In a letter sent today to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and signed by 78 House Republicans, Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) and fellow conservatives offered unequivocal support of Israel’s right to defend her people and maintain a blockade of the Gaza Strip that has proven vital to keeping weapons and other resources out of the hands of the terrorist organization Hamas. The blockade has come under intense international scrutiny following an incident in which Israeli Defense Forces personnel were forced to engage a ship and its crew attempting to breach the blockade. The RSC letter comes at a time when many Israelis and Americans have come to question the Obama Administration’s support for Israel and its willingness to stand by America’s strongest Middle East ally in the face of continued threats from terrorism and a rogue regime in Iran. The following is the text of the letter sent to Prime Minister Netanyahu:

“As members of the House Republican Study Committee (RSC), a group of over 115 conservative members of the U.S. House of Representatives, we want to express our steadfast support for the steps you have taken to ensure the peace and security of Israel, one of the most important being the blockade of the Gaza Strip. While we hope that the future holds a more positive relationship between the Gaza Strip and Israel, like you, we see the blockade as a key component of Israel’s security at this time.

While there have been many international calls to end the blockade, we see your actions as the only viable way to prevent weapons from entering a terrorist-laden region under constant threat of Iranian control. We therefore support the right and responsibility of Israel to continue the blockade.

When Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip, it became a matter of national security for Israel to take the necessary steps in preventing weapons from being smuggled into the area. While violence has not ceased, we do not believe it is a coincidence that there has not been an Israeli death due to a terrorist attack in over a year. Many innocent civilians, both Jewish and Arab, have been saved due to the blockade, which has prevented artillery and materials to manufacture weapons from coming into the hands of Hamas.

Sadly, in a volatile area of the world, where Israel stands as a beacon of light for democratic values, the country and all it stands for is hated by many. Thus, it has been forced to defend its mere existence and must be able to continue to do so in situations such as this, in which efforts were made to aid a terrorist-controlled region. We stand by the Israeli people, the Israeli government, and your actions to prevent terrorist attacks.”

A signed copy of the letter is available by clicking here.