State Senator Craig Brandt (R-Rio Rancho)
In December 2024, I had the honor of visiting Israel with the Consul General of Israel to the Southwest United States. The purpose of this trip was to deepen the relationship between New Mexico and Israel. Over recent years, Israel has been one of New Mexico’s leading trade partners, at one point ranking fourth. Although they no longer hold that position, Israel remains a vital partner for our state. This four-day diplomatic trip to Israel was monumental for me personally and revealed to me the potential impact to New Mexico’s future.
Another key reason for this journey was to witness the aftermath of the atrocities carried out by the Palestinian terrorist Army of Hamas on October 7, 2023. Many Americans fail to grasp that in June 2004, Israel completely withdrew its military forces and settlements from the Gaza Strip. For anyone to claim that these attacks were about the “occupation” of Gaza reveals a profound misunderstanding of history. Standing at the sites of these horrific acts, where everything remains untouched except for the victims’ bodies, was haunting. Looking into a child’s bedroom to see a blood-soaked bed and tiny, blood-stained handprints on the walls was horrifying. Returning home to hear Americans claiming that these atrocities were justified in any way is infuriating.
The truth is, after 20 years of relative “peace”—a peace where Hamas launched rockets into Israel almost daily—Hamas, the elected governing body of Gaza, orchestrated a brutal massacre. Estimates suggest that around 10,000 Hamas Palestinians invaded Israel, targeting unarmed civilians indiscriminately. I have seen the carnage with my own eyes. I stood at the site where a baby was burned alive in an oven and where an entire family of ten—four adults and six children—was slaughtered. I saw the home where a nine-month-old baby was kidnapped. At the Nova Festival, mere yards from the Gaza border, over 400 young people were massacred, many of them women and girls who were raped, abducted, and killed. I visited a location housing 1,650 vehicles riddled with bullet holes from Hamas’ .50 caliber machine guns. Witnessing these horrors changed me forever. It was a direct confrontation with evil.
This experience has also permanently changed the lives of Israelis. When most people think of Israel, they imagine only the Jewish population. However, Israel is home to diverse communities, including Jews, Arabs, Druze, and others, all of whom enjoy equal rights as Israeli citizens. In Israel’s Knesset (Parliament), representatives from 14 political parties, encompassing a range of ethnicities and religions, work together to govern. This complexity mirrors the democratic principles we cherish in the United States. During my visit, I met with two Knesset members who underscored the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship and expressed gratitude for our willingness to see the situation firsthand.
We also received intelligence briefings about the region’s instability. Remarkably, Israeli officials predicted Syria’s government would collapse just days before it happened.
Beyond security, we explored Israel’s thriving tech-based economy. Israel is a global leader in cutting-edge technologies. Companies like Mobileye, a pioneer in autonomous driving, and IDE Technologies, specializing in water solutions, exemplify this innovation. I’ve already connected IDE with New Mexico’s governor’s office to explore potential collaborations to address our state’s water challenges.
Rio Rancho also shares a close connection with Israel through Intel, which employs nearly 10,000 people across its development centers and fabrication plants in Israel. This connection underscores the robust trade relationship between our state and Israel. By partnering with Israeli companies, New Mexico can take a significant step toward diversifying its economy. Our national laboratories and Israel’s technological expertise make an ideal match for innovation and growth.
Israel is a country that deeply values its relationship with the United States. Its people are grateful for our support and stand ready to assist us in times of need, just as they did for us after 9/11. Today, Israel needs us to stand by them. As I heard repeatedly during my visit, “The terrorists call us [Israel] the Little Satan and you [the U.S.] the Big Satan.” If Israel’s enemies can launch such an attack on Israel, they can and will target us. With our borders vulnerable, the threat is real.
My time in Israel was a profound reminder of the shared values between our two nations: democracy, innovation, and resilience in the face of adversity. Strengthening our ties with Israel is not just an act of solidarity but an investment in a safer, more prosperous future for both our nations.
