As the Western world reels from the brutal killings of six Israeli hostages, including one U.S. citizen, the truth has never been clearer. Israel needs strong, unequivocal American support now more than ever, and Hamas must be eradicated from the face of the earth.

From inflation to immigration, there is no shortage of pressing issues in the 2024 election, but we cannot lose sight of the seriousness of the situation in today’s Middle East. Let’s be clear: Israel is on the verge of all-out war on three fronts, and her very existence is threatened. Outnumbered by enemies like Hamas and Hezbollah, not to mention the antisemitic agenda of Iran’s government, Israel will cease to exist if Western allies fail to come to her defense.

America must support Israel strongly and unequivocally, condemning any and all protestors who side against a democratic nation to empower terrorists seeking the annihilation of the Jewish homeland. No matter how much pro-Hamas and pro-Hezbollah protestors gain steam within the Democratic Party, Democrats and Republicans alike have no choice but to reject such blatant antisemitism. It is the only righteous response to anti-Israel protests that deny reality and give weight to terrorist organizations that have no place in a civilized world. Appeasement – whether of terrorists or their sympathizers – is unacceptable. It is evil.

While Americans do and should have the right to protest and peacefully assemble, the anti-Israel protests that have transpired since the tragedy of Oct. 7 last year – most notably at this year’s Democratic National Convention – are incredibly distressing. Protestors are not just peacefully questioning U.S. support for Israel; they are violently supporting terrorist groups and the oppressive regime that is the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Alarmingly, Americans have not heard a blanket repudiation of the blatant antisemitism on the streets of America’s greatest cities. Not only were Democratic convention speakers stunningly silent on the anti-Israel protesters, but President Biden even suggested they “have a point.” In his more recent press statements, Biden has been more critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than the terrorists his country fights on a daily basis, while Vice President Kamala Harris is all too willing to criticize Israel’s response to the savagery of Oct. 7.

Of course, it is beyond tragic when any innocent civilian is injured or killed, whether they are from Israel, Gaza, or anywhere else. Every single soul matters to God, and it is heartbreaking when innocent lives are lost. However, Hamas instigated the current conflict by murdering over 1,200 innocent Israelis in a surprise terror attack, and terrorists are still holding Israelis and Americans captive today. The fact of the matter is that 101 hostages remain in Palestinian territory, with 35 presumed dead.

The status quo is untenable. Hamas terrorists often embed themselves with civilians, using them as human shields to maximize civilian casualties amongst their own people. We can’t ignore that basic reality, and those who believe in the Jewish homeland cannot stop until terrorist groups like Hamas are wiped out.

So, what does strong, unequivocal support for Israel mean, exactly? Speaking out against terrorism, as Hollywood celebrities are finally doing now, is one step in the right direction. But Israel needs more from the West than talk.

All of those seeking to represent Americans in Washington, D.C., cannot merely speak out; we must act by calling for the current 118th Congress to approve an additional $14 billion in emergency aid for Israel. From food to weapons and other supplies, the Israeli people need billions of dollars to fight back against the evil that surrounds them, and there is no excuse for us to ignore their cries for help. Beyond cheap words, a comprehensive aid package would send a clear signal that the U.S. continues to stand behind the Israeli war effort and on the side of good.

American support would show Iran and its proxies that, despite a loud minority of protestors who are sympathetic to the destruction of Israel, America will not tolerate any attack on the Israeli people. As the Democratic nominee for president, Kamala Harris should also send a clear warning to the Iranian regime: Any Iranian proxy attack will be treated as an attack directly by Iran, and the U.S. is prepared to defend Israel with full force against such aggression.

Now is the time for American leadership at home and abroad. Terrorism is our common enemy, and Israel is our common ally in her time of existential crisis.