Jews — under increasing attack around the world — have a safe haven in the United States, former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore says.
"Frankly, to be as bold as I can be, if the Jewish community in Europe wants to go someplace to be safe, I say they come to the United States of America — because they are safe here in this country," Gilmore said Wednesday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on
Newsmax TV.
"Now also there's a safe haven in Israel and that's fine. But our duty here is to make sure that all citizens whether Jewish, Christian, or anybody else are safe and secure in the United States and they are."
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His statement comes just days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israel is welcoming to all Jews.
Gilmore, a Republican and president of Free Congress Foundation, said the United States is "in a lot of trouble," thanks to what he believes is the Obama administration’s lackluster response to the war on terror.
"I issued a statement today that pointed out that this whole business coming out of the State Department about how we have to have a social welfare system for the entire world in order to stop violence is just nonsense," Gilmore said.
"The president has a duty to protect the American people and to provide for their security right now.
"This is not a case where you do some long-term, lifetime type of event in order to try to help things, although as wise as that might be in years and years from now, our duty right now is to protect the American people."
Gilmore was astonished by Obama’s refusal to say the recent bloodbath in a kosher deli in Paris was an act of anti-Semitism.
"That also is nonsense and dangerous nonsense, because it's dangerous to the Jews of the world to be under direct attack and then to turn a blind eye," he said.
"It makes the people in the Jewish community across the United States and across the world insecure. We have to stand tall with our friends, even our citizens here in this country who are Jewish, and make sure that we're standing by these folks completely."
He said Obama’s half-hearted words about terrorism are used by terror groups for propaganda.
"What he says matters. It matters to our friends and it matters to our allies and it matters to our adversaries if they can take the president's words and twist them in order to recruit people," he said.
"That is irresponsible for the president to give them that kind of ammunition. With respect to these issues of what's going on over there, we have got to be as strong as we can at this time."
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