Meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the conflict between Israel and Hamas in New York.

 Israel called for bipartisan support on Sunday from the United States against the establishment of a Palestinian state, which it said would be a reward for Hamas and its backer Iran.

European Union members including Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and Malta have said they could recognise a Palestinian state this month, seeing a two-state solution as essential for lasting peace.

Israel's foreign minister, Israel Katz, who met top House Republican Elise Stefanik earlier, said if a Palestinian state was established, Iran would use it as a base to "work towards the destruction of Israel".

He told Stefanik the U.S. must lead a resolution at the International Energy Agency's council next month to promote further sanctions against Iran to stop it obtaining nuclear weapons and supporting groups like Hamas.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.

Stefanik has played a key role in trying to stem the protests that have broken out across U.S. college campuses against Israel's war in Gaza and in support of Palestinians' right to self-determination.

The Gaza war broke out after Hamas launched a cross border assault on Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 253 hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, at least 35,386 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's health ministry.

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In Israel visit, Stefanik to tout Trump's record on Jewish state, reject Biden policies: 'No excuse'

House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., will blast President Biden as she seeks to reassure Israel during a speech at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, Sunday morning.

Her prepared remarks were obtained by Fox News Digital ahead of the address. Stefanik will be the highest-ranking House member to visit Israel since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks. She will be introduced by the Israeli speaker, according to her office.

The New York Republican is also planning to meet with high-level government officials and pay her respects to locations attacked by Hamas in October. She plans to tout her decades-long support for the Jewish state as a senior member of the House Armed Services and House Intelligence committees.

In her speech, Stefanik calls herself "a lifelong admirer, supporter and friend of Israel and the Jewish people."

"I am lucky to have had the privilege of traveling here many times before, but I must confess that this time feels different," Stefanik's speech states. "The stakes feel higher. Our sense of moral, patriotic duty feels heightened, renewed."

In the remarks, Stefanik praises former President Trump for his relationship with Israel during his administration, and she criticizes Biden for his administration's controversial measures during the Israel-Hamas war. In November 2023, the Biden administration extended a waiver that allowed Iran to access $10 billion previously in escrow, prompting widespread criticism.

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The White House recently paused a weapons shipment to Israel out of concern about an invasion of Rafah, before deciding to move forward with the sale earlier this week.

"There is no excuse for an American president to block aid to Israel, aid that was duly passed by the Congress, or to ease sanctions on Iran, paying a $6 billion ransom to the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, or to dither and hide while our friends fight for their lives. No excuse," the speech states. "Full stop."

The Republican leader's address to the Knesset will express support for "every measure to aid Israel that has come before the U.S. Congress," and tout her history as "a leading proponent and partner to President Trump in his historic support for Israeli independence and security."

"If I leave you with one message today, it’s this: The majority of Americans support you, and we always will since President Truman’s recognition of Israel 11 minutes after David Ben-Gurion declared Israel’s independence 76 years and 5 days ago," the address says. "America stands with Israel."

Before concluding her speech, the politician will take aim at Ivy League universities for their responses to chaotic protests and anti-Israel encampments.

"We must not let the extremism in ‘elite’ corners conceal the deep, abiding love for Israel among the American people," the speech adds. "Most Americans feel a strong connection to your people. They have opened their hearts to you in this dark hour."

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Stefanik to slam Biden’s weapons hold in remarks before Israel’s government

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) in an address before Israel’s Parliament Sunday is expected to denounce President Biden’s pause on weapons supply to the country, as it continues its military operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Her remarks before the Knesset come after the Biden administration cautioned Israel not to invade Rafah, a city in the south of Gaza where at least 600,000 Palestinians are seeking shelter after being evacuated from their homes earlier in the war. Biden urged the Israeli military to first come up with a plan to avoid civilian casualties.

Stefanik, who chairs the House Republican Conference, is set to present the Republican Party as the real backer of Israel, considering the U.S. support for the country’s operation in Gaza has, at times, divided Democrats in Congress.

“I have been clear at home and I will be clear here: There is no excuse for an American president to block aid to Israel — aid that was duly passed by the Congress, or to ease sanctions on Iran, paying a $6 billion ransom to the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, or to dither and hide while our friends fight for their lives,” Stefanik said in prepared remarks, reviewed by The Hill.

“No excuse. Full stop,” she added. “It’s why I have sponsored, or backed, every measure to aid Israel that has come before the U.S. Congress. Every single one.”

The Biden administration faced scrutiny over the pause, which halted the transfer of some 3,500 heavy bombs to Israel as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were gearing up to advance their operation in the south and central part of Gaza. The White House later said it plans to move $1 billion in weapons to the Jewish state.

The New York Republican’s remarks, apart from highlighting her pro-Israel stance, could also elevate her as a contender for former President Trump’s vice-presidential slot. Stefanik has been mentioned as a potential running mate, along with a bevy of senators and governors supportive of the former president.

“It’s why I led the calls for the White House to speak out against the corrupt ICC,” her prepared remarks continue, referencing the International Criminal Court, which is reportedly considering issuing an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over accusations of war crimes. “It’s why, for years, I have been a leading proponent and partner to President Trump in his historic support for Israeli independence and security.”

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Stefanik will be the highest-ranking House member to visit Israel following Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in over 250 people being taken hostage. She is scheduled to meet with Israeli officials, visit religious sites and tour the places targeted in the attack that sparked the war.

“We must not let the extremism in ‘elite’ corners conceal the deep, abiding love for Israel among the American people,” she is expected to say. “Most Americans feel a strong connection to your people. They have opened their hearts to you in this dark hour.”

The House approved a bill Thursday that would reverse Biden’s pause, a formal admonishment of his approach to the war. The legislation — which cleared the chamber in a 224-187 vote — is expected to go nowhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

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