USA: unconditional support for the genocide in Gaza elected to head the Foreign Affairs Committee

The nomination of Republican Representative Brian Mast (Florida) to head the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives has sparked strong reactions. This commission, one of the most influential in the American Congress, oversees the country’s foreign policy and exercises control over international aid and American diplomacy.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) strongly denounced this choice of the Republican Party, denouncing its racist positions and its unconditional support for the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

According to the Times of Israel, Mr. Mast wore his Israeli army uniform to Congress in the days following the attack of October 7, 2023, which left 1,200 dead in Israel and led to the taking of numerous hostages. More recently, when asked about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the Florida representative declared that “more infrastructure will have to be destroyed” and questioned the notion of “innocent civilians” in the Palestinian enclave. During a speech in the House of Representatives, he also compared Palestinian civilians to “Nazi civilians,” comments that prompted calls for his resignation.

This appointment by the Republican Party comes in a context of support from the United States for the ongoing genocide in Gaza, while this commission will play a crucial role in decisions concerning military and humanitarian aid in the region.