Exclusive—Gov. Kristi Noem: Protecting the Promised Land

When I was in the U.S. House of Representatives, I traveled with other U.S. government officials to strengthen relationships with America’s allies around the world.

In all of my travels as a member of the committee and following the end of my time in Congress, no foreign leader impressed me more than Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He’s decisive and tough as nails. He leads a nation that is equally passionate and strong.

Israel embraces democracy; their military strength is a shield for us in a dangerous land; and they are our friends. These facts, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership, as well as my multiple visits to Israel helped me realize just how crucial America’s partnership with Israel is to our national security.

That’s a lesson that our kids and grandkids must learn, as well.

In recent days, we have seen the devastating invasion of the State of Israel by Hamas terrorists. This is an act of war and invasion of the Promised Land that was given to the people of Israel by God. These barbaric actions have shocked the conscience of the world.

It is time for all Americans to stand firm in our resolve to support the Israeli people. In the wake of these attacks, we have seen an outpouring of support for the State of Israel. But we have also seen a surge of antisemitism and hatred for Israel.

It is more critical now than ever that we teach our kids and grandkids the importance of our alliance with the State of Israel. They are our most important strategic ally – and they are a dear friend to the United States of America.

If we fail to educate our children of Israel’s importance, we risk raising a generation that sees no need to protect our most important strategic ally. Americans must always understand the significance of this land that God has promised to the Israelites; they must respect the Jewish people and the State of Israel; and they must always be on the side of freedom and good, never on the side of terrorism and evil.

All of the national security-focused trips I made were incredibly impactful. One that stands out as a teaching moment was my visit to the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. It is the most heavily fortified border in the world. I was shocked at how close the troops were positioned to one another. South Korean troops stood facing north. North Korean soldiers lined up directly across from them in their territory. However, right in the middle, between these two armies, stood our American forces. They were there to keep the peace. Never before have I seen such a physical reminder of America’s role in the world. Because we are the greatest democracy in the world that stands for Freedom, we often stand in the gap to perpetuate peace. We are strong, and we believe in Freedom. Therefore, the mantle we bear is to continue to project peace through strength. That is exactly what we must do for Israel today.

We must also take action to secure our own nation following these terrorist attacks. If we look at our own Southern border, we see that hundreds of individuals on the terrorist watch list have been captured attempting to enter the United States. If that many known terrorists have been caught, it’s gravely concerning to consider how many could have been “gotaways” who are within our borders right now. The Biden administration must step up to secure the Southern border or risk devastation here in our homeland.

Israel is in my prayers. Bryon and I pray for safety for the hostages taken by the Hamas terrorists. And we also ask God to have Israeli forces find the strength to swiftly deliver justice to these evil terrorists. To Prime Minister Netanyahu and the beloved people of Israel, I am confident that you will win this war.  You have our support every step of the way.

Kristi Noem is the governor of South Dakota and a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives who served South Dakota’s at-large congressional district.