Rockland County legislators Ed Day, R-New City, Frank Sparaco, R-Valley Cottage, and Joseph Meyers, D-Airmont, have sent a letter to federal officials to express their support of Israel’s efforts to “secure its borders and make its citizens safe from repeated rocket attacks launched by Hamas against innocent civilians.”

In a statement issued today, Sparaco said, “Hamas has initiated numerous acts of aggression against Israel, including crossing its borders to kidnap soldiers and commit other horrendous acts.”

Day said, “Rocklanders and all American citizens should see that this issue affects all of us as the Hamas mentality is no different than those who flew planes into the World Trade Center and killed nearly 3000 innocent people.”

Meyers said, “No independent country in the world would be expected to endure such aggression against its borders and its residents without taking steps necessary to end aggression from such acts of terrorism.

Photos: above, Sparaco; right, Day; left, Meyers.

Read the entire press release and a copy of the letter sent by the legislators below. Both are verbatim.

County Legislators Day, Sparaco and Meyers Take Bi-Partisan Action Urging National Leaders to Support Israel’s Right to Defend Itself against Hamas

New City (January 13, 2008) – Rockland County Legislators Ed Day, Frank Sparaco and Joseph Meyers have sent a bi-partisan letter to National leaders to express their “support of the State of Israel and Israel’s efforts In .” On December 27, 2008, Israel launched an air and ground offensive against Hamas, the de facto government of Gaza, in an effort to end years of attacks from the Gaza Strip by Hamas.

On Sunday, the three Legislators attended a rally organized by the Rockland Jewish Federation in support of Israel’s military action against the terrorist organization known as Hamas. The rally was held at the Rockland County Courthouse. Organizers called upon those present to begin a letter campaign to Federal representatives.

In their letter, addressed to President-elect Obama, Secretary of State Designate Hillary Clinton, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and U.S. Representative Eliot Engel, the Legislators expressed their support and commitment to the welfare, security and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and its right to act in self-defense to protect against itself against acts of terrorism.

Legislator Sparaco said, “Hamas has initiated numerous acts of aggression against Israel, including crossing its borders to kidnap soldiers and commit other horrendous acts. On Sunday, Rocklanders gathered to express unwavering support for Israel, our staunch ally and the only democracy in the Middle East.”

Legislator Day added, “It is important that all our citizens understand that, contrary to some reports in the media, it is Israel who is under siege and they are defending themselves from years of rocket attacks from the terrorist faction Hamas, who does not represent the moderate Palestinians in Gaza. Rocklanders and all American citizens should see that this issue affects all of us as the Hamas mentality is no different than those who flew planes into the World Trade Center and killed nearly 3000 innocent people.”

“Hamas has continually refused to recognize and accept previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians,” said Legislator Meyers. “Hamas has launched thousands of rockets and mortars since Israel dismantled settlements and withdrew from Gaza in 2005. No independent country in the world would be expected to endure such aggression against its borders and its residents without taking steps necessary to end aggression from such acts of terrorism.”

COPY OF LETTER

The Legislature of Rockland County

Edwin J. Day
Legislator – 5th Legislative District

Frank Sparaco
Legislator – 11th Legislative District

Joseph L. Meyers
Legislator – 12th Legislative District

January 11, 2009

President-Elect Barak Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Secretary of State Designate Hillary Clinton
476 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
H-232, US Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. Representative Eliot Engel
2161 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Mr. President-Elect, Madame Secretary of State-Designate, Honorable Speaker Pelosi, Honorable Majority Leader Reid and Honorable Eliot Engel:

As County Legislators in Rockland County, New York and together with hundreds of other concerned Rocklanders, we attended a rally held at the Rockland County Courthouse on Sunday, January 11, 2009 in support of the State of Israel and Israel’s efforts to secure its borders and make its citizens safe from repeated rocket attacks launched by Hamas against innocent civilians inside of Israel.

As you know, Hamas has been designated by the United States Department of State as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and has refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist nor has Hamas agreed to renounce violence and accept previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians. Hamas has launched thousands of rockets and mortars since Israel dismantled settlements and withdrew from Gaza in 2005. No independent country in the world would be expected to endure such aggression against its borders and its residents without taking steps necessary to end aggression from such acts of terrorism.

We agree with the sentiments of Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Olmert who said on December 27, 2008, “For approximately seven years, hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens in the south have been suffering from missiles being fired at them. In such a situation we had no alternative but to respond. We do not rejoice in battle but neither will we be deterred from it. The operation in the Gaza Strip is designed, first and foremost, to bring about an improvement in the security reality for the residents of the south of the country.”

We are writing to express our vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and we support Israel’s right to act in self-defense to protect its citizens against acts of terrorism such as the repeated rocket attacks launched by Hamas.

We encourage you to work actively and early to support a durable, enforceable, and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza that prevents Hamas from retaining or rebuilding the capability to launch rockets and mortars against Israel and allows for the long term improvement of daily living conditions for the ordinary people of Gaza.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter of great moral and international concern and we wish you every success as you pursue your new duties in the next administration and the next Congress.

Very truly yours,

Edwin J. Day, Legislator

Frank Sparaco, Legislator

Joseph L. Meyers, Legislator

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