Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas) said someone has taken down his “I Stand With Israel” sign that was posted outside his office and that U.S. Capitol Police will be investigating the incident.
“Last night, someone came to my D.C. office and removed my Stand With Israel sign. Let me be clear, this is not just about a stolen sign, this is about uniting as a country to stand alongside our closest ally in a fight against hate and evil,” Williams said in a statement to The Hill.
“More than 35 Americans have been killed or are still missing along with more than 1,000 Israeli’s. Yet our nation is divided on standing united with Israel. My support for Israel is unmoved and I will not be silenced. We must do all that is required to ensure their victory. My office has contacted Capitol Police, who will be opening an investigation,” Williams said.
Williams displayed two new “I Stand With Israel” signs that he posted outside his office in a video posted Thursday on X, the platform previously known as Twitter.
The Capitol Police confirmed to The Hill than an investigation has been opened.
The White House and many lawmakers have been adamant about providing continuing support to Israel after the nation was infiltrated by Hamas over the weekend. More than 1,200 Israelis have been killed in the fighting and more than 1,100 Palestinians have died as a result of airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
John Kirby, a White House spokesperson on national security issues, confirmed Thursday that 27 Americans have been killed in the fighting and 14 U.S. citizens are still unaccounted for.
The U.S. is continuing to work to provide Israel with military capabilities in the days since the attack. Additionally, emergency munitions began arriving Tuesday in Israel, according to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The administration also announced the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the eastern Mediterranean Sea as an act of deterrence against actors looking to escalate or widen the conflict between Israel and Hamas. It has also moved U.S. Air Force F-15s, F-16s and A-10s “to augment existing fighter squadrons in the region.”