Empire State Today

ALBANY – NYGOP Chair Ed Cox released a statement criticizing Rep. Paul Tonko for not attending Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's recent speech to Congress.

“Rep. Paul Tonko’s decision not to attend yesterday’s speech to Congress by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is the latest example of his turning his back on Israel,” Cox stated.

Cox further commented on the ongoing conflict involving Hamas, stating, “Tonko fails to understand that this war was started by the terrorist group Hamas. The war would end if Hamas laid down its arms, returned the remaining hostages and surrendered or went into exile. Tonko again shows how naïve and uninformed he is. Hamas is responsible for all the innocent civilians who’ve been killed both in Israel and Gaza since October 7th.”

He concluded with a strong rebuke of Tonko’s stance: “Tonko should be ashamed, but typical of him, he is not. Paul Tonko is no friend of Israel and its right to exist.”