Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., said this week that the conflict in Gaza must end quickly “like Nagasaki and Hiroshima” and that the United States should refrain from sending any humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave. Israel’s war with Hamas Continue.
“We shouldn’t be spending a dime on humanitarian aid,” Walberg said Monday at a town hall meeting in Dundee, Michigan. video spread on social networks.
“It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get rid of it quickly,” he continued, referring to the Japanese cities the US dropped atomic bombs on during World War II. Hundreds of thousands the person died.
In a statement, Wahlberg said he was “using a metaphor to convey the need for both Israel and Ukraine to win the wars as quickly as possible without harming American troops.”
“My reasoning was exactly the opposite of what was being reported: the sooner these wars end, the fewer innocent people will be caught in the crossfire,” he said.
According to Walberg public calendarhe was due to attend a community meeting in Dundee on Monday, March 25 at 10am.
Wahlberg made this comment when an audience member asked, “Why are we spending our money to build a port for them?” answered his question.
The question appeared to refer to the Biden administration’s plan to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza via floating dock. The United Nations and other agencies have warned the enclave on the brink of starvation Against the background of the five-month-long Israeli offensive and the lack of sufficient flow of supplies to Gaza.
“That’s Joe Biden’s reason: We should get humanitarian aid to Gaza. I don’t think we should,” Wahlberg responded.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 32 thousand people died in Gaza after Israel started the war against Hamas. The military campaign comes after the militant group attacked the country on October 7, in which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 people were taken hostage. More than 100 people are believed to be still held captive in Gaza.
A number of Walberg’s Michigan politicians were quick to criticize his remarks.
Democratic representative Haley Stevens a Type in X “Threatening to use, proposing to use, or not actually using nuclear weapons is an unacceptable tactic of war in the 21st century.”
Palestinian American Republican ex-deputy Justin Amash, who is running for the Senate, said in an article Wahlberg’s comments “show a complete indifference to human suffering,” adding that “his suggestion of the destruction of hundreds of thousands of innocent Palestinians, including my relatives in the Orthodox Christian Church, is reprehensible and indefensible.”
State Sen. Darrin Camilleri, a Democrat, He called on Wahlberg to resignand Democratic-Republican Dan Kildee said Walberg’s comments was “appalling and shocking” and his position was “indefensible”.
“My colleague’s comments are reckless and wrong,” said Democrat Hillary Scholten. X said. He called Walberg’s comments “perverse.” he called to “retract and apologize” to him.
Politicians outside of Michigan also took issue with Walberg’s comments.
Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., called for comments “horrific, inhuman and barbaric,” and Rep. Andy Kim, DN.J., he said the expressions were “disgraceful” and “disgraceful”.