Brian Mast, Jared Moskowitz call for two idle defense systems to go to Israel

Palestinians inspect the rubble of the Yassin Mosque destroyed after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike at Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, early Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Israel's military battled to drive Hamas fighters out of southern towns and seal its borders Monday as it pounded the Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Two U.S.-owned missile “Iron Dome” defense systems are sitting idle, and two Florida Congressmen are leading a bipartisan effort to get them sent to Israel.

Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Mast and Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz sent a letter with 30 other Representatives signing on urging the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to send these two systems to Israel to stop Hamas rockets.

President Joe Biden has ordered two U.S. carrier strike groups to bolster Israeli defenses against the attack, but Israel needs more of what these systems offer, the letter says.

“These systems, defensive in nature, will protect innocent women, children and the elderly as Israel defends itself against Hamas’ terrorist attacks that are being supported by Hezbollah,” the letter reads.

Twelve Democratic and Republican Representatives from Florida are among the letter’s 32 signatories. Democratic U.S. Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Lois Frankel, Darren Soto, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Frederica Wilson signed on, as did Republican U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds, Anna Paulina Luna, Cory Mills, María Elvira Salazar and Michael Waltz.

The Iron Dome, or “Kippat Barzel” in Hebrew, is widely regarded as one of the most important and effective tools in Israel’s arsenal, according to CNBC.

Israel’s Defense Ministry claimed the Iron Dome successfully intercepted 97% of all Palestinian rockets fired during a one-weekend surge of Gaza fighting last year, while the system recorded a 95.6% success rate during a rocket attack by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in May, it was reported.

“Every time the Iron Dome is used, it saves thousands of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives from Hamas terrorists,” Moskowitz said in a prepared statement. “Now more than ever, the United States must stand with Israel in their war against terrorists who wish nothing but to destroy Israel and the people that live there.”

Moskowitz’s Office sent a news release with the letter, highlighting his other efforts that make him “one of the loudest voices in Congress” championing U.S. ties to the Mideast region’s only functioning democracy.

Moskowitz has also called for the Biden administration to stop trying to renegotiate the Iran nuclear deal; enforce all sanctions on Iran, particularly against oil exports to China, the world’s largest refiner of Iranian oil; and encourage European allies to designate the Iranian Revolution Guard Corps as a terrorist entity and sanction Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.