“You can’t do a deal with Hamas until every Hamas member is dead”

Photo: AP Images

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) is completing his first term, after serving two terms as Florida’s governor. He has emerged as one of Israel’s foremost defenders since October 7. Underscoring that, Senator Scott traveled to Israel last March to express solidarity with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, amid the latter’s tensions with President Joe Biden over calls for a cease-fire with Hamas.

Senator Scott has long been supportive of Florida’s large Jewish community, and showed that recently with his commitment to ensure the security of Jewish institutions in the state that faced threats after Hamas’ terrorist attack.

One of Donald Trump’s earliest supporters when few dared to back him, Senator Scott has remained steadfast with the current Republican Party leader. He even endorsed Trump’s 2024 pre-candidacy, against his own state’s governor, Ron DeSantis — a decision that has positioned Scott as one of the most staunchly pro-Trump voices in the Senate.

Having narrowly won his Senate seat in 2018, Senator Scott is now running for reelection against Democratic congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. The latest polls show him with a four-point advantage.

In a conversation with Mishpacha, Senator Scott expressed confidence in his campaign (“Israel will continue to have a good friend in the Senate because we’re going to win”). He also reaffirmed his commitment to defending the Jewish People in the war against Hamas, predicted that Donald Trump would win because “American families will vote for him,” and asserted that “the Democratic Party has turned its back on the Jewish People.”

We understand that after some suspicious drones were spotted flying over Jewish institutions in Florida, you played a key role in facilitating contact between Jewish community leaders and the Federal Aviation Administration. After this alarming development, what steps can be taken to ensure the safety of Jewish institutions in Florida?

What has happened against Jewish institutions is inexplicable. When I was governor, I managed to pass legislation to ensure financial aid for school security. And as a senator, I have worked alongside Jewish state schools to make them safer. There are crazy people out here who are just anti-Jewish, anti-Semitic…

Now, first off, we can’t believe there are people like that. But we’ve got to make these schools safe. And I actually have gotten legislation passed that will guarantee law enforcement in every school, public and private. I achieved this with public schools when I was governor, but now I want to do it for all private schools, from the Senate.

There are several programs that we already fund to harden our schools, and we’ve got to do more of that. We have to make sure it’s going to our Jewish day schools so they can make these facilities safe, because they’re the ones receiving the threats. And they’re getting the threats because there are crazy people in this country who are anti-Jewish, so we’ve got to continue to fund it. It’s necessary to increase the funding, and we’ve got to get it out to schools quickly.

Let’s jump into the international arena. Republican support for Israel is sky-high, for sure, but among Democrats, it’s somewhat shakier. How can Israel rebuild bipartisan support?

I don’t get why people don’t support Israel. It’s our great ally! It’s the only democracy in the Middle East we have. In my state, I’ve got a significant Jewish population that’s very supportive of Israel.

Also, the other side’s terrible! The other side kills people just because of their religion. So how anybody could not support Israel, I don’t know. I don’t know why Democrats don’t support Israel.

But the American public, I think, is very supportive of Israel. Personally, I’m going to continue to do everything I can to help Israel. I will continue to fight this anti-Semitism. I’m going to help our Jewish state schools and our synagogues. But I don’t get why Democrats have turned their back on Israel and the Jewish People.

There are some voices close to President Trump who argue that the US shouldn’t be so involved in international conflicts, usually referring to Russia’s war with Ukraine, but it could also affect support for Israel. What’s your take on that?

First off, Trump is the most pro-Israel president, I think, in our history. He held Iran accountable. He stopped their flow of money. The Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas didn’t have the resources they have now. He moved the American embassy to Jerusalem. He got the Abraham Accords done. So he’s a big supporter.

Now, he doesn’t like conflict, so I think his goal is to stop it ahead of time. He killed Soleimani. He held Putin accountable. Putin never invaded Ukraine while Donald Trump was president…

So I think that when Trump was president, our allies respected us, and our enemies feared us. And that system has changed. So if he’s president, I think clearly, from his standpoint, he wants to end the Ukraine conflict. That doesn’t mean he’s going to turn his back on Ukraine. He’d like to make sure Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, won’t have the resources there to attack Israel, and he’ll defend Israel.

But is there something specific to the Israel conflict that isolationists find objectionable?

I think none of us like the conflict, but Israel didn’t start it. Hamas started it. And if you look at everything that was going on when Trump left office, whether it’s the Abraham Accords or Iran not having money, I think that’s what Trump will try to do again when he’s president. He’ll try to make sure Iran doesn’t have resources and nuclear weapons, and he will try to expand the Abraham Accords, which will create more prosperity, not just for Israel but for everyone in the Middle East.

Many voices in the Middle East are starting to call for Israel to make deals with Hamas, with Hezbollah. Some say that if President Trump gets back to the White House, he may call for Israel to make a deal. What do you think about an agreement with Hamas or Hezbollah?

I think what he’ll do is make sure Israel wins and Hamas loses. He’ll make sure Hamas doesn’t have the resources to do anything. I don’t know what type of deal they would make. Personally, I don’t think you can do a deal with Hamas until every Hamas member is dead. But if they have no resources, and Israel has the resources… I mean, the only way this is going to end is when Hamas is gone. I don’t know how you can do it any other way.

Let’s discuss the national election. When it appeared Joe Biden would be the Democratic presidential candidate, Donald Trump and the Republicans appeared to be assuming a sure victory. However, since Biden dropped out and Kamala Harris jumped in, there’s a certain anxiety that comes across in GOP circles. Is the Republican Party worried about an unexpected outcome in an election they thought was already won?

I think as people get to know Harris, they will understand how pivotal this election is. If you want open borders, high inflation, conflict around the world, a weak president, then Harris is your person. If you want someone our allies respect and our enemies fear, if you want the conflicts to go away, if you want the border to be secure, if you want someone who’s going to promote democracy, then you’re going to vote for Trump. And I think American families are going to vote for Trump, because it’s better for them.

What do you think about the polls that show Harris in the lead?

Every poll in my two gubernatorial races and in my 2018 Senate campaign said I was going to lose, and I won all those elections. This is what the polls show, because the left in the media wants everyone to believe that Harris is going to win, so Trump won’t get the resources to win the election, and she’ll get the resources. This is what polls are. But I talk to average people, and they’re not supporting Harris. Harris is not someone that anybody respects.

Which are the winning issues that Republicans should focus on in the election?

I think the issues are inflation, the border, crime, and the ongoing conflicts around the world. I’m campaigning; this is my election cycle, and when I’m out talking to people, that’s what they talk to me about.

Some say that the Harris-Walz ticket is starting to gain traction in Republican-governed states like Texas or your own state, Florida. Do you share this view?

No, I don’t agree. We have a million more registered Republicans than Democrats. There’s no way, in that regard.

Our last question concerns the anti-Semitic attacks on university campuses. What we saw this year was very tragic for our people. What do you think the federal government should do to protect Jewish students?

Protect them! We have law enforcement. And if you threaten Jewish students, you should go to jail.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1025)