In an interview with Newsmax on Friday, Mazi Melesa Pilip, an Ethiopian Jewish refugee and former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier, discussed her journey from war-torn Ethiopia to becoming a potential successor for the vacant seat of former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y.
Pilip, a two-term Nassau County Legislature-elected Republican, shared her story on "Eric Bolling The Balance" of being rescued during the Ethiopian civil war in 1991. "You know, I was born in Ethiopia, and at the age of 12, there was a civil war in 1991 where the United States and Israel came in the middle of the civil war and took me and my family and another 14,000 Ethiopian Jews in 36 hours," she recounted.
Reflecting on her early days in Israel, Pilip recounted a poignant moment during her arrival, stating, "I still had my parents kissing the ground and crying. That finally they are in the Holy Land, and I saw soldiers around me, and I saw a female soldier, and I was so proud.
"I was so amazed to see a female soldier helping me, and at that moment, I knew when I got to the age of 18, I was gonna serve and give back to their countries that helped me."
Describing her service in the IDF's paratrooper unit as a gunsmith, Pilip expressed pride and emphasized the diverse makeup of Israel's population united for the common mission of protecting the nation.
Pilip addressed the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, vehemently condemning the actions of terrorist organizations. "We're talking about babies. We're talking about children. We're talking about women who got raped by vicious terrorist organizations. They killed over 1,200 people; they took with them over 200 hostages," she explained.
Insisting that the world should be deeply concerned about the situation, Pilip stressed Israel's obligation to counteract terrorist organizations like Hamas. "It's not about saving the Jewish land. It's really about freeing the Palestinian people from a terrorist organization using them as human shields," she asserted.
Calling for increased support from the United States, Pilip stated, "We have to do more. There is a lot. We have to give them the resources that Israel needs as soon as possible, and we have to support Israel, our true ally."
Pilip asserted, "Hamas is ISIS. Let's not negotiate. Israel is doing the job for everyone here, not you know, we're talking about civilized army versus a terrorist organization."
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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