Press Releases

Today, Congressman Mike Lawler released the following statement after news broke that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a ceasefire and shortly after President Biden’s remarks on the matter in the Rose Garden.

“I am glad to see that Israel and Hezbollah have reached an agreement for a ceasefire in Lebanon,” said Congressman Lawler. “In severely reducing Hezbollah’s ability to wage war in the region, Israel has done the world a great service in kneecapping a terrorist organization and limiting their operational capacity moving forward.”

“It is now time for Hamas to follow suit and finally acquiesce to Israel’s terms - hand over the hostages, lay down their arms, and surrender,” continued Congressman Lawler. “It's been over 400 days since October 7th, and such an agreement is long overdue.”

“I commend President Biden for working through this agreement, but we must recognize that the reality of a second Trump Administration has no doubt brought more parties to the table,” concluded Congressman Lawler. “Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah are scared, as they should be. I am hopeful that President Trump will work alongside our ally Israel to permanently disarm Iranian terrorist proxies and accomplish a lasting peace in the Middle East.”

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the 118th Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City, home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the country, and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.