'Unprovoked and cowardly': County officials back Israel in aftermath of attack from Hamas

Elected officials in Palm Beach County are offering rhetorical and financial support to Israel four days after the militant group Hamas attacked it from land, sea and air.

Joseph Abruzzo, Palm Beach County's clerk of the circuit court and comptroller, directed an additional $25 million from the county's' investment portfolio to be invested in Israeli bonds "in a show of steadfast support for Israel following their declaration of war against Hamas militants."

Discussing the investment during a press conference Wednesday at the B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, Abruzzo said the investment is a win-win — a sound financial move for the taxpayers of the county and an infusion of money to Israel at a time of great need.

"I obviously have a responsibility to the taxpayers of Palm Beach County," said Abruzzo, who, as clerk and comptroller, oversees the county's investment portfolio. "We are fulfilling our duty to the people of Palm Beach County to make sure we are getting a return on their investment. There could be no greater safe investment outside of our own U.S. bonds."

Abruzzo added: "The wire is going out this week. All of the dollars help with what is going on right now."

In announcing his support for Israel, Aruzzo joined a list of elected officials who put forward similar sentiments.

West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James condemned Saturday's attack, calling it "unprovoked" and "cowardly."

"I want to be clear," James said. "The city of West Palm Beach unequivocally stands behind Israel and the Jewish population."

The mayor said the attack, which shocked and horrified officials throughout Israel and the United States, "is especially sad given that this attack came at the end of the Jewish High Holy days — a time of celebration and reflection."

"Unfortunately, these terrorist organizations seek to divide people, instead of unite," the mayor said. "We extend our heartfelt condolences and stand in solidarity."

One of James' predecessors as mayor, Lois Frankel, also condemned the attack.

"I am horrified and outraged at the news of Hamas’s hateful and deadly attack on the Israeli people, including the murder and kidnapping of children," said Frankel, who now represents West Palm Beach in the U.S. House. “No question, I stand firmly with Israel. Terrorism is unacceptable.”

State Attorney Dave Aronberg, who joined Abruzzo at Wednesday's press conference, has also condemned the Hamas attack on Israel.

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"I stand with Israel and all the innocent civilians who have been attacked by Hamas," Aronberg wrote in a social media post. "No justification for such despicable acts of terrorism. Praying for the dead, the wounded and those taken as hostages into Gaza."

Jewish residents account for a significant portion of Palm Beach County's population, and support for Israel is something of a political no-brainer here.

Frankel and Aronberg are Jewish, as is Palm Beach County Mayor Gregg Weiss and the former congressman who represented portions of southern Palm Beach County, Ted Deutch, who now serves as the chief executive officer of the American Jewish Committee, an international advocacy group.

Anti-Defamation League: Hamas violence inexcusable

Saturday's attack on Israel drew condemnation from across the political spectrum, including from some who have been critical of Israel's treatment of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, a small, densely-population enclave located southwest of Israel along the Mediterranean Sea.

Hamas, a Palestinian political and militant group that has been backed by Iran, was elected to power in Gaza in 2006. Hamas does not recognize Israel and has launched attacks on it repeatedly since its founding in the late 1980s.

In 2007, in an effort to contain Hamas, Israel blockaded the strip, controlling residents' access to water, food and, for many, employment. Human rights officials have broadly condemned the 16-year blockade, and some political observers — including a few in Israel — warned Israel that mistreatment of Palestinians in Gaza would generate some type of desperate response.

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Few, however, anticipated Hamas' brutal, coordinated attack Saturday, which Israel met with a declaration of war. The conflict has now claimed the lives of at least 2,200 people, according to a summary from USA Today.

Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County officials back Israel as it responds to Hamas attacks