Knesset Speaker in Washington: These Are Critical Days That Could Determine Fate of the Entire Region

By Aryeh Stern

​​A delegation from the Knesset, led by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana (Likud), arrived in the United States on Monday and began a round of meetings with senior U.S. administration officials. The delegation is accompanied by families of hostages held in Gaza.

Ohana met on Monday in Washington with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. In the meeting, the Knesset Speaker voiced his appreciation for the support of the United States and for its efforts to secure the release of the hostages: “Israel is committed to the return of all the hostages and to the defeat of Hamas. No Israeli will consent to return to the reality that existed before Oct. 7. We must inflict an absolute defeat on Hamas that is not subject to interpretation. These are critical days that could determine the fate of the entire region. The axis of evil, Hamas-Hezbollah-the Houthis led by Iran, must feel the might and determination of the free world in the form of a diplomatic and military iron wall,” said Ohana.

The Knesset delegation led by Speaker Ohana met subsequently with Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.

Also participating in the meeting were members of the hostages’ families — Gonen, Mor, Al Zayadni and Hand — who are accompanying the Knesset delegation, as well as Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chair MK Yuli Edelstein (Likud), MK Efrat Rayten Marom (Labor), and MK Idan Roll (Yesh Atid).