Budd meets with Netanyahu, calls chants of student protests 'anti-American'

Back from a visit to the Middle East that included a meeting with the Israeli prime minister, U.S. Sen. Ted Budd defended the U.S. ally's handling of its war with Hamas and criticized protesters at college campuses across the U.S., including at UNC-Chapel Hill.

"It's absolutely horrifying to the world," Budd, a Republican in his first term, said of the student protests. "I would say you have to understand your history. And while these people may on its surface want to be about protecting innocent lives, they're actually harming them.

"Make sure that they're not attaching themselves to genocidal statements. When they say things like 'From River to the Sea,' that's encouraging genocide. Most people don't even understand the geography that from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea is wiping out a people group that have a right to peacefully exist as a nation.

"It's anti-Israel. It's anti-Jewish people. It's antisemitic. And it's anti-American."

Budd visited Israel, Iraq, Syria and the United Arab Emirates on his trip with fellow Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. They met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a discussion about hostage negotiations, military operations in Gaza and combating antisemitism around the world, Budd said.

Budd also met with the family of North Carolina native Keith Seigel, who was taken hostage by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Hamas released a video that included Siegel several weeks ago.

"It's my view that the United States must fully support Israel as they increase military pressure on Hamas to release hostages, including eight Americans," Budd said. "Our position remains that Hamas must release Keith Siegel and the rest of the hostages immediately and unconditionally."

Budd said he is concerned that the Biden administration is withholding precision-guided munitions from Israel. The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs due to concerns about Israel's assault on Rafah in southern Gaza. Budd defended Israel saying it is moving innocent civilians out of the way and blamed Hamas for any loss of civilian live.

"If Israel wants to move forward, they want to be very precise in what they do and eliminate any harm to civilians," Budd said. "If our administration is holding up precision-guided munitions that is completely in the way of keeping civilian lives from being harmed. So very concerning what our administration is doing. But we need to support Israel in their efforts because ... they're doing a great job in a very, very difficult environment."

Budd said he has confidence in Netanyahu, who he said is focused on securing the release of hostages. Budd said that Israel is the U.S.'s "greatest ally" in the Middle East.

"They've had to go it alone before," Budd said. "They'd like to do it with their greatest ally, the U.S., but they're a sovereign nation. I would say there are things in question about what is the U.S. commitment to its greatest ally in the Middle East, Israel, particularly when precision-guided munitions are being withheld. So I hope the Biden administration clears that up and gives Israel what they need as our greatest ally and a great democracy in the Middle East."