Mishawaka, Indiana – In case you missed it, this past weekend Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02) published an op-ed in the South Bend Tribune calling out Hamas apologists ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel. 

“I firmly and unequivocally support Israel’s right to defend itself, secure the return of all hostages, and avenge the barbarity of Oct. 7 by eliminating the Hamas terrorist threat,” Yakym wrote. “However, there are some who call Israel’s legitimate act of self-defense a ‘genocide.’ This is an ignorant, flagrant, and inflammatory misuse of a term that should be reserved for Auschwitz and Dachau.” 

“Those knowingly misappropriating such a loaded word seem content to take Hamas at its word and turn a blind eye to its actions,” Yakym continued. “During the Cold War, naïve individuals who could be manipulated to defend the Soviet cause were called ‘useful idiots.’ Hamas is banking on that same concept to justify the brutality of Oct. 7 and its continued holding of hostages under unimaginable conditions.”

“Useful idiots have a First Amendment right to speech, but stepping up to a podium does not confer facts. Erroneous statements declared confidently are still wrong. Untruths shouted loudly are still untruths. As citizens, we have the responsibility to make that distinction,” Yakym concluded. 

Read Rep. Yakym’s full op-ed here or below: 

Opinion: One year later, Hamas bears responsibility for ending conflict

Rudy Yakym

South Bend Tribune

Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. On that day, Hamas terrorists unleashed a ruthless wave of barbaric attacks that amounted to the single deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Over 240 individuals were taken hostage, and 97 remain in captivity today.  It is unclear how many of those 97 are still alive. Our fellow Americans were among those murdered and taken hostage.

I firmly and unequivocally support Israel’s right to defend itself, secure the return of all hostages, and avenge the barbarity of Oct. 7 by eliminating the Hamas terrorist threat. However, there are some who call Israel’s legitimate act of self-defense a “genocide.” This is an ignorant, flagrant, and inflammatory misuse of a term that should be reserved for Auschwitz and Dachau.

Those knowingly misappropriating such a loaded word seem content to take Hamas at its word and turn a blind eye to its actions. During the Cold War, naïve individuals who could be manipulated to defend the Soviet cause were called “useful idiots.” Hamas is banking on that same concept to justify the brutality of Oct. 7 and its continued holding of hostages under unimaginable conditions. Here are just some of Hamas’ actions that the useful idiots choose to wave away.

Hamas has ruled Gaza without any open, free, or fair elections in nearly two decades. It spies on its own citizens and journalists to snuff out any hints of dissent or other “suspected immoral behavior.” Hamas leaders’ explicit strategy is to maximize deaths of its own citizens by using them as human shields as it seeks the annihilation of Israel. Meanwhile, those same leaders live in a lap of luxury in Qatar, far removed from the harsh realities it imposes on its own citizens.

Hamas has diverted millions, if not billions, of dollars in aid for Gazan civilians toward acquiring munitions and constructing a massive network of military tunnels that’s nearly twice as long as the London Underground. Tunnel entrances are hidden in or near homes, schools, mosques, hospitals, and even UN facilities and underground military bunkers draw electricity, water and ventilation from those same civilian facilities.

Hamas launders statistics through the Gaza Health Ministry that are at best inflated and misleading. The figures do not separate out militant deaths — a crucial distinction. There is also convincing evidence that suggests they are outright fabricated.

Finally, Hamas bears the sole responsibility for ending this conflict. It could release the hostages tomorrow, but it chooses not to. Instead, it was Hamas that caused the lone ceasefire agreed to during this conflict to fall apart as it launched attacks and reneged on commitments made to release hostages. Hamas is the party that has continually undermined ceasefire negotiations, making demands and moving the goalposts when those demands are agreed to by Israel and the U.S.

Useful idiots have a First Amendment right to speech, but stepping up to a podium does not confer facts. Erroneous statements declared confidently are still wrong. Untruths shouted loudly are still untruths. As citizens, we have the responsibility to make that distinction.