Hoyer Statement on Violence in Israel

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today on the recent violence in Israel and the death of American student Taylor Force:

"I was greatly angered to learn of the horrifying attack in Israel that took the life of Taylor Force, a young American graduate student. Having served our nation in the Army after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he represented the best of America. This latest wave of indiscriminate violence targeting innocent Israelis - and Americans - highlights the threats Israel faces externally and internally. These attacks, coupled with Iran's ballistic missile tests on the same day as Taylor's murder, reaffirm the need for a strong Memorandum of Understanding between Israel and the United States for security cooperation. 

"This ongoing spate of violence also highlights the need to continue to pursue a negotiated settlement between Israelis and Palestinians that protects the security of Israelis and offers hope for a better future to all people in the region. I will continue to stand strongly in defense of Israel and its right to protect innocents from terror."