Nikki Haley: Israel 'Needs to Wipe out Hamas' for Peace

Nikki Haley, former United Nations Ambassador and a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, wrote in a Sunday column for the New York Post that the only way to achieve peace between Israel and Palestinians is to "wipe out Hamas."

"To achieve peace, the most important thing we can do right now is help Israel eliminate Hamas, as fast and as fully as possible," Haley wrote. "Swift and decisive victory in the Gaza Strip would stop a broader war in the Middle East. It would also send the best possible signal to Russia and China. Our enemies fear nothing more than a strong America, standing with its friends."

Haley said President Joe Biden is not helping the situation by pushing Israel to "pause" military operations in Gaza, which would give the terrorist organization time to regroup by fortifying defensive positions and steal incoming humanitarian aid meant for the Palestinians.

"A pause is another way of saying cease-fire, and it puts Israel's military and hostages in more danger, not less," Haley wrote. "There should be no cease-fire. There should be peace — the peace that comes from Israel's total victory over Hamas. Such a peace would leave both Israelis and Palestinians better off. And it would strike fear into the hearts of America's enemies, fostering the broader peace that keeps Americans safe."

If elected president, Haley said she will support U.S. allies and stand up to enemies.

"The first step is giving Israel everything it needs to wipe out Hamas," she said. "The war in Gaza must not become mired down like the war in Ukraine. It is in America's and the region's best interest for Israel to win quickly and fully."

Haley also said the U.S. needs to continue to provide aid to Ukraine in its fight with Russia and cut off financial aid to Iran, which uses the funding to equip terrorists with weapons.

"It is the Iranian economy that feeds Iran's terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East," Haley wrote. "Cut off the Iranian economy and we cut off the supply of weapons to terrorists. And when Iran attacks American troops, we must not ignore it, like Biden does."

As for Ukraine, Haley said a win for Russia in that conflict is also a win for China and Iran, encouraging more wars throughout the world.

"A win for Russia is a win for China and Iran. And a win for Russia would not end with Ukraine," she wrote. "We should continue to provide Ukraine the weapons it needs to reclaim its territory. Biden has spent nearly two years delaying and denying Ukraine's requests for help. That's doubly wrong, considering Biden's weakness invited Russia to invade Ukraine in the first place. The longer that war drags on, the more it encourages other wars, in Europe and across the world."