Trump Counterterrorism Director: IDF Soldiers are ‘Doing the L-rd’s Work’

‘Israel has to neutralize every threat to the people of Israel, period, end of story,’ said Sebastian Gorka.

By Ben Rappaport, United with Israel

Sebastian Gorka, whom President-elect Donald Trump has tapped to be senior director for counterterrorism in his incoming administration, emphasized that the soldiers of the IDF fighting against terrorism are doing “the L-rd’s work.”

In an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 published Wednesday, Gorka responded to Trump’s warning that there will be “all hell to pay” if Hamas doesn’t release the hostages by his inauguration.

Trump, he said, “will stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu to make sure that the threats to [Israel] and to Judeo-Christian civilization are destroyed.”

Responding to the claim that Israel is committing “genocide,” Gorka said, “Now we have a new totalitarian ideology to replace Nazism, and that’s Global Jihadism. So if anyone says Israel is committing genocide, they’re on the side of the real genocidal jihadis.”

Addressing the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire and whether northern Israelis would be able to return to their homes, Gorka said Israel must render terror groups incapable of harming its citizens.

“With the recent pager operation, Israel has done an incredible job of undermining the capacity of groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the global jihadi movement to hurt [Israeli] citizens,” he said, adding that Israel must “undermine their will to do so as well.”

“Israel has to neutralize every threat to the people of Israel, period, end of story.”

Regarding the idea of a “Palestinian state,” Gorka said, “If you read the recent polls since October 7, more than 70% of the [Palestinian Arab] population agree with the massacre of Jews on October 7. Until the people of Gaza and the West Bank decide they want to live in peace with Israel and do not want to kill every Jew, until that time, there is no political resolution, and Israel has to be responsible for the security of those territories.”

Asked what his vision of a “decisive victory” would look like, Gorka said, “There is no classical victory now. Israel should be responsible for the security of those areas and make it impossible for any jihadi group to exploit those territories to launch new mass casualty attacks against the people of Israel.”

“For the time being, it’s going to be a security situation and not a political one.”

Gorka concluded with a message of encouragement for Israel.

“Hold the line. America will be back very, very soon. We bless every single one of you,” he said, addressing IDF soldiers and their families, adding, “Things will change. You are doing the L-rd’s work by saving innocent people and bringing justice to evildoers. So don’t give up, hold the line, and we will keep you in our prayers.”