The Biden administration has placed undue pressure on Israel while being lenient with Iran, which has contributed to escalating violence in the Middle East, Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., told Newsmax Wednesday.
"There is nothing but pressure — far more pressure — on Israel," Waltz told "The Record With Greta Van Susteren."
He said the administration fosters a culture of "distrust of Israel" and "appeasement towards Iran," which he believes has contributed to the turmoil. According to Waltz, this strategy is misguided and has "literally led to the entire Middle East being on fire."
Waltz, a House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees member, said former President Donald Trump took a tougher stance during his administration, enforcing sanctions that cut off funds to Tehran.
"The hard truth is that the core issue is Iran's cash," Waltz said. "And when you choke that off, then they can't fund this terrorism all over the world."
He pointed to a period in 2019 during Trump's presidency when Iranian-backed groups reportedly struggled financially.
"All of those groups were complaining that they were out of money. They couldn't pay their fighters, they couldn't buy ammunition because the payments had stopped from Tehran because President Trump was actually enforcing the sanctions.
"He told China, who buys most of Iran's oil, If you buy from them, you can't buy from us, and they stopped."
"This is all about getting to the core part, the root of the disease, rather than kind of running around dealing with their proxies, which is what the Biden people are trying to do," he said.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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