Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Hamas fighters flooded into Israel over the weekend, killing at least 100 people in what has been described as an “unprecedented” escalation in the decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict.
Israel on Monday declared war on Hamas and the death toll from both sides is estimated at 2,500 and expected to keep climbing.
While the majority of those killed in the Hamas attacks were Israeli citizens, reports indicate that some United States citizens are among the dead. Gov. Ron DeSantis joined other leaders in condemning the attacks and, in a statement issued through his presidential campaign, called on Americans to take “three immediate steps” in response.
“One of our greatest allies, Israel, has been attacked by terrorists funded by Iran — with over 800 Israelis murdered and 2,000 injured. The scenes of brutality are hard to watch. Innocent men, women, children, and the elderly. And we learned this morning that among these victims are at least nine American citizens killed and others likely missing or taken hostage,” DeSantis said.
“Hamas committed these acts for two simple reasons: they hate the Jewish people, and they are evil cowards. They were empowered by Joe Biden’s appeasement of Iran and a desire to ruin further normalization of ties within the Arab world with Israel.”
DeSantis’ three-step plan: “(i) freeze any money Biden has made available to Iran; (ii) cut off any and all types of foreign aid flowing to Hamas; and (iii) immediately shut down America’s wide-open Southern border to ensure we are in a position to better protect Americans here at home from these real threats.”
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Following the attacks, Florida’s politicians and political leaders issued a wave of condemnations and statements of support for the Israeli people, and some are planning events to show solidarity with the longtime U.S. ally.
In South Florida, home to many of Florida’s Jewish residents, a “Stand with Israel Rally” is currently underway. U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Micky Steinberg, Aventura Mayor Howard Weinberg, Sunny Isles Beach Mayor Larisa Svechin, Miami Gardens Council member Linda Julien, North Miami Beach Commissioner Fortuna Smukler and Rabbi Jonathan Berkun of the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center are gathering at the Waterways Shoppes, 3575 NE 207th St., in Aventura. Organizers say, “All supporters of Israel are welcome to attend.”
Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers Rep. Katherine Waldron and Sen. Lori Berman are pushing for the Legislature to adopt a resolution to reaffirm the state’s support of Israel. Drafted over the weekend, the resolutions (HR 125/SR 126), outline the carnage of “100 Israelis murdered, and 2,500 rockets being launched” into the state of Israel. The Sunshine State is fully invested in Israel’s right to “safeguard its citizens, protect its borders and ensure the safety and security of its people,” the resolution reads.
“This resolution stands as a statement of solidarity with Florida’s closest foreign ally, Israel,” Waldron said in a prepared statement. “We are outraged at this terrorist organization cruelly attacking and killing innocent people.”
Waldron was one of many lawmakers to fire off news releases reaffirming their support for Israel. Fellow Democratic Rep. Jervonte Edmonds, who represents West Palm Beach, said he was “deeply saddened by the loss of innocent life in Israel” and that the “violence is unacceptable and must end.”
“I stand with the people of Israel and condemn the actions of Hamas, which continues to launch rocket attacks on civilian targets. I am calling on the international community to pressure Hamas to stop its attacks and to work toward a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” he said.
Tamarac Democratic Sen. Rosalind Osgood added, “In times of unnecessary war, it is the innocent civilians who suffer the most. I want to express my deepest condolences to the civilians affected by the Hamas attacks. The conflict has taken a toll on the lives of innocent people, causing immense suffering and hardship for families in the region. Together, we must work toward a path of peace and stability for all.”
Evening Reads
—“This war isn’t like Israel’s earlier wars” via Michael Oren of The Atlantic
—”Things are about to get much worse in the war between Israel and Hamas” via Ellen Ioanes of Vox
—”Fate of more than 100 Israeli hostages consumes, unifies a terrorized nation” via Steve Hendrix of The Washington Post
—”For years, they trusted the army to defend and inform them. Now many Israelis feel abandoned” via Amy Teibel of The Associated Press
—”Israel’s first 24 hours under attack: ‘We are going to die’” via David S. Cloud, Anat Peled, Chao Deng and Dov Lieber of The Wall Street Journal
—”Israeli father tells of moment his wife and children became hostages” via Patrick Kingsley of The New York Times
—”Israelis scramble to find rave survivors and scream: ‘How could we be so weak?’” via Jesse Rosenfeld of Rolling Stone
—”Supporters of Israel and Palestinians hold opposing protests in Fort Lauderdale” via Omar Rodríguez Ortiz and Grethel Aguila of the Miami Herald
—“Protests flare in South Florida following weekend attack by Hamas on Israel” via Hunter Geisel and Anna McAllister of CBS News
Quote of the Day
“The (Ron) DeSantis administration settled in our favor because they knew what they did was wrong. We held them accountable, required them to be more transparent and to hand over records they claimed didn’t exist, and protected the public’s constitutional right to know.”
— Former Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, after the state settled in a two-year public records fight over COVID-19 data.
Put It on the Tab
Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.
The Governor gets a ‘Merican Muscle for his tough three-point plan in response to the attacks on Israel.
Order up a Liquid Heroin for Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who … well … is doing his part to get so-called “gas station heroin” out of the Sunshine State.
DeSantis’ legal team needs to refuel with some Pixie Dust … they blew their reserves crafting the state’s arguments in the ongoing Disney litigation.
Waldron and Berman deserve a round for spending their weekend churning out a pro-Israel resolution. Here’s a roundup of Israeli cocktails — any of them would suffice.
Snag an Officer Down for Sen. Tom Wright and Rep. Alex Rizo for their effort to compensate former Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Maury Hernandez, who sustained life-altering injuries in a preventable shooting.
Breakthrough Insights
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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.
