As you might know, I have always been a strong supporter of Israel. I recently had the opportunity to join 249 other legislators from across the country — the largest ever delegation — to visit Israel.
My strong connection to the Holy Land grew even stronger on this trip, where we met face-to-face with victims of the Hamas-Palestinian massacre on October 7, 2023, when terrorists invaded the country, starting at the rural Be’eri kibbutz in the Gaza Envelope. Hamas terrorists threw grenades, fired shots, smoked out homes, and then killed 132 people. These were the very individuals who had been advocating for peace for decades, aiding Palestinian people with health care, food, and support. Despite that, they were brutally slaughtered.
Hamas terrorists led the charge into Israel, with Palestinians following their parade of terror — killing, raping, and looting. Brave residents of the kibbutz fought hard until the Israeli Defense Forces could arrive amid the chaos. Heroes saved hundreds, but still hundreds died. The heartbreaking stories of these families encapsulate the reality they have endured.
We then toured the site of the Nova music festival massacre, where 378 young partygoers were slaughtered. Survivors recounted stories of rapes and mutilations, of couples forced to watch each other’s murders by these savages, and of others hunted down and executed in cold blood.
In 2005, Israel decided to cede the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians so they could form their own government. Instead, the people of Gaza elected Hamas terrorists, who have since ravaged the area. Gaza could have been a place of prosperity and trade, but Hamas turned it into a terror state — using its own people as human shields, hiding in hospitals to frame Israel as the aggressor, and blocking 99% of food aid (most of which comes from Israel). What Hamas didn’t seize outright, it resold to its starving population at 300% markups — effectively murdering their own people through starvation.
By contrast, Israel goes out of its way to reduce civilian casualties, issuing warnings days before strikes through leaflets, text messages, and radio signals. Though this limits Israel’s military effectiveness, it preserves countless innocent lives. Hamas, meanwhile, built a 500-mile underground tunnel system for terror operations, making hostage recovery and troop safety nearly impossible.
During our trip, I spoke with people in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Samaria, Kibbutz Or HaNer, and beyond. Some told me how narrowly they escaped the Nova massacre; others described life under daily rocket fire. On our first day, we visited the Old City of Jerusalem — the deeply spiritual experience of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where our Lord was crucified and rose again. We prayed at the Western Wall and toured Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, a powerful reminder of the importance of memory.
We also met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and visited the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, where even anti-Israel voices can be elected — proof of Israel’s commitment to free speech.
Our delegation traveled to Ofakim, where each state planted a tree in memory of victims of Hamas terror. We saw the yellow ribbons symbolizing the 48 hostages still in captivity. We dined with young people at Or HaNer kibbutz, witnessed Tel Aviv’s resilience under missile sirens, and learned of the sacrifices of IDF soldiers killed just the day before our departure.
We visited the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, SpacePharma, and the Tel Aviv Medical Center, where cutting-edge trauma care has lowered battlefield mortality rates to just 6%. We ended in Samaria and heard from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, closing with one last walk on the beaches of Tel Aviv.
This journey reaffirmed my unwavering support for Israel. This war can end immediately if Hamas releases the 48 hostages and renounces its extremist rule. As an American of Sephardic Jewish descent, this trip felt like a reconnection to my roots and reinforced the critical road ahead: standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel in its fight for survival.
We must continue advocating against Hamas’s propaganda and lies, which manipulate statistics and fake images to spread hate. Having seen the evidence firsthand, spoken to the people, and reviewed the facts, there is no way any reasonable person could support Hamas or its vision of “Palestine,” which seeks to wipe Israel off the map.
I will not be silenced, nor will I abandon my biblical belief that the Jews are God’s chosen people. We must stand with Israel, no matter the onslaught of hate. God bless the United States, and God bless Israel.
P.S. An interesting fact: over 700,000 Americans live in Israel — more than in any other country — according to Ambassador Huckabee. Supporting Israel is not only standing with our greatest ally but also standing with hundreds of thousands of fellow Americans.
To view these photos from this trip on Facebook, please see this post linked here.
State Rep. John Block represents the 51st District in the New Mexico House of Representatives located in Alamogordo. John is also the founder and editor of the Piñon Post, New Mexicos #1 conservative online news publication.
God Bless America AND Israel…
If you don’t understand that Israel IS Hamas, you don’t understand how evil Netanyahu and his government really are. I’m so sick of people saying “I stand with Israel” but you don’t even know who they are. The geo-political country that calls itself Israel is absolutely not the ancient people group called Israel (or the Israelites) in the Bible. Do a deep dive. Really read your Bible and realize that the 12 tribes were scattered, destroyed, enslaved, and corrupted. The nation-state we call Israel was created in 1948 and has nothing to do with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Furthermore, I’d like to know why 250 individuals from the US thought it was a good idea to take a vacation to Israel on my tax dollars?!
Thank you! Very reveling. God Bless Israel.
Congrats on your sanitized vacation to modern Israel. First the modern state of Israel was founded by the Rothchilds banking family , the same ones who own our “federal reserve “ . Zionism is a political movement founded by Theodore Hertzl in the late 1800s and has no connection to the Bible but does advocate for world domination by Jews. Second, it’s a fact that modern “Jews” have almost no semitic blood and the vast majority are “settlers” from Poland , Russia, Germany, etc. i noticed your trip didn’t include a trip to Gaza talking to Palestinians who’s homes have been leveled and their children murdered or maimed because 2 year olds can be Hamas terrorists too! As for the 750,000 “Americans “ living in Israel, well they hold dual citizenship like most of our Congress. If they get into trouble here Americas best friend and ally hasn’t any extradition treaty with our best friends in the Middle East. Well your political star should be rising now that you’ve pledged your fealty to a foreign country . Perhaps you can move to Kentucky or Georgia where the representatives there are on their way out since they don’t take bribe money from gods chosen!
“I stand with Israel” is the name of the largest money-laundering scheme going. Our taxes go to Israel. Israel buys our politicans. How many representatives from New Mexico are funded by Israel? Only a handful of politicians in the United States are not directly bought by the throne room of Satan. When will this end?
Kudos to Artemis and Norteno…evidence that there is still some intelligent life out there.
I agree with kudos to Artemis and Norteno. You have shaken my faith in what you have to say. How can you be so blind?
Not sure why the “reply” button doesn’t work. Support for genocide is disgusting. I don’t care that the “left” calls it genocide while the right is fooled into thinking Israel can do no wrong.
I stand with Israel.
Artemis and Norton. I am slowly waking up to what you both state. Where can I find evidence showing your words to be factual?
i only have a few words to say. You are a traitor and an idiot to support genocide. The evidence is all over the place, you just have to look, and not use google which is a joke. I would also say you are a whore for taking money and being a puppet. You have no business supporting israel, This is America. If you want to support israel, go move there and resign. You should be impeached and put in prison for treason.
Where was your trip to Gaza to see starved and injured and dead men women and children?
Thank you Artemis and Norteno.
There’s a plethora of information on the internet about what took place on the creation of Israel. First read about the Balfour declaration then look at all the players. The banking house of Rothschild exists today in the City of London but their tentacles are worldwide to include the US federal reserve installed by chicanery in 1913 which is neither federal nor does it have any reserves. It is a private Jewish owned bank. As for dual citizenship, it’s common knowledge that Jews have automatic citizenship in Israel if they want it. Congress just put out a list at the request of congressman Massie about dual citizens in congress. All these are easily found facts if you have the gumption to want to find truth.
<3 Thank you for going and seeing it for yourself.