Former Rep. Pete King, appearing Sunday on Newsmax, said pro-Palestinian demonstrators are being “hypocritical” for staying silent while Israelis and even some Gazans celebrate a new peace deal and the release of hostages.
“They have no sense of history,” the New York Republican said on Newsmax’s “Wake Up America Weekend.” “If anyone should be in any way identifying with the Palestinians after what happened on Oct. 7, or if they had any sense of history at all, you would also have to acknowledge that Israel existed and its people would not tolerate that.”
King said Palestinian leadership has repeatedly rejected peace, adding that responsibility for the ongoing conflict “lies totally with the Palestinians.”
“This is a historic first step, but the second and third steps are going to be very difficult,” he said.
He added that it is important for President Donald Trump and world leaders to stay focused on reaching peace in Gaza, as it will be difficult to get all the weapons out and to find a transition government that does not include Hamas leaders or sympathizers.
Despite the challenges, King called the current truce “a great start” that reflects progress made under Trump’s leadership.
“If we stay committed, especially with all those Arab nations now against Hamas — and I give President Trump credit for that — we are in the best shape we’ve ever been. It’s still a tough battle ahead,” he said.
Former Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., said the cease-fire and return of hostages bring mixed emotions across Israel and beyond.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of joy, but a lot of heartbreak, and the heartbreak is probably going to be just as equal to anybody’s joy because everyone is in this nationally, not just in Israel — I’d say internationally, in fact,” he said.
Kingston said he expects a long and complicated road to follow, but credited Trump and other leaders who helped forge the agreement.
“It also was a team, and people like Steve Witkoff deserve incredible praise for what they’ve been able to do,” Kingston said.
He agreed with King that the next stages will be difficult, saying pressure must remain on Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
“It’s going to be complicated to keep Hamas broken,” he said. “The Palestinian Authority has to be changed as well because they’re not allowed back at the table until they reorganize.”
The only way to do that, Kingston added, is to keep pressure on from the international community and the Arab states.
“It’s going to be a long process, but if we’re all committed, we can make this happen for sure,” he said.
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