Garrett Exner, Veterans On Duty Board Member and former U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Officer with multiple deployments to the Middle East and Africa, issued the following statement regarding moves by the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia to formally recognize Palestinian statehood:
“As the United Nations General Assembly convenes, a moment when the free world should unite in condemning Hamas’s brutality, some of America’s allies are instead rewarding the perpetrators and architects of the October 7th massacre with recognition of Palestinian statehood. This reckless move does nothing to advance the security interests of the United States or that of our allies. Instead, it empowers the terrorists who seek to control by violence and fear in an attempt to undermine our way of life and shared values.
Nearly two years after Hamas’s atrocities, Israel remains under attack—from Iranian and Houthi missiles, Hezbollah’s aggression in southern Lebanon, terrorists in Judea and Samaria, and even radicals spreading hatred on American college campuses. Hamas continues its terror campaign, refuses to release American and Israeli hostages, and vows to repeat October 7th—without ever being held accountable.
Recognizing a Palestinian state rewards this violence and signals that free nations will tolerate assaults on our values and security. Veterans On Duty urges our allies to reject this pressure and stand firm for Israel’s right to exist and defend itself against terror.”
