Turner said the U.S. is providing military aid and intelligence aid to try to contain the threat that Hamas presents to Israel.
“The United States certainly stands by Israel and its efforts against Hamas,” Turner said. “Although the United States has cautioned Israel and I certainly join the Secretary of State in calling for ensuring that civilians in Gaza, the Palestinians who are as much prisoners of Hamas as Hamas is a threat to Israel, should be protected.”
Turner said given the 1,000-plus Israelis who were “murdered viciously” by Hamas on Oct. 7, “We certainly understand that Israel has the need to be able to protect itself.”
Politico reported that Turner criticized Israel at an event Tuesday for intelligence failures in missing “obvious” signs prior to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, and for parts of their response after the attacks, saying the high death toll could have been prevented.
Politico said Turner cited real concern about a lack of focus on nuclear threats in the Middle East, saying “There is this almost policy assumption (by others) that no one would use nuclear weapons.”
Turner on budget process
A temporary spending bill passed by Congress and signed by President Biden this week ended the immediate threat of a government shutdown, although that threat was basically just kicked down the road to January.
Asked about the status of the government’s full-year budget plan, Turner criticized the Senate for inaction. But he was upbeat about military funding and any impact on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
“The National Defense Authorization Act, in which I’ve worked to put many provisions that are beneficial to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Air Force, is moving currently through the Senate and we expect to pass it before the end of the year,” Turner said.
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