Iran is "behind everything" that has been happening in the Middle East, and Israel appreciates the strong show of force President Donald Trump is making through deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said Monday.
"Iranians are sponsoring terrorism in the region," Danon told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "They spend $7 billion a year on terrorism whether it's Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Egypt, or also Hamas in Gaza."
When word comes that Tehran is threatening the United States and Israel, it shows Iran is panicking because sanctions are working, he added.
"We're committed to fighting terrorism, to fight the proxies in the region," Danon said. "We saw what happened in the last few days when Israel retaliated after Hamas launched more than 600 rockets into our civilian population."
It important that Trump is showing strength, and also that the United States recognizes Israel's right to defend itself, said Danon.
As for now, it is quiet in Israel and in Gaza, said Danon, and he wanted to thank Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for calling the Palestinians in Gaza and saying that Hamas, not Israel, is the problem.
"I can assure you the day Hamas will be exterminated in Gaza, you will have a celebration in Gaza," said Danon. "Gaza is under the occupation of Hamas. The people are suffering because Hamas is using the funds from the international community to produce rockets against Israel. We hope the day will come and the Palestinians will stop suffering from Hamas."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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