Israel consul general talks about meeting Holcomb, Indiana lawmakers
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Israel’s consul general to the Midwest on Wednesday sat down with News 8 to talk about the war between Israel and Hamas.
Yinam Cohen, who is based in Chicago, was a special guest at Tuesday night’s State of the State address from Republican Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb. Cohen says lawmakers and the governor expressed their support of Israel.
Cohen talked Wednesday about his conversations with Holcomb and the lawmakers, and about calls from the Biden administration. “We want to grow the economic partnership between Israel and Indiana,” Cohen said. “Israel has a lot of potential to bring to Indiana: a lot of technology, a lot of innovation.”
Cohen said that potential included “pharmaceuticals, solar energy, agriculture.
“Indiana, being on the Crossroads of America, also has a lot of potential for this partnership,” he said.
More than 20,000 people have been killed since the war began in October.
On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The meeting came as Biden administration officials have called on Israel to cut down on civilian injuries and deaths in Gaza.
Asked if there was a way that the Israeli army could avoid civilian casualties, Cohen said that “the war that is happening right now in the Gaza Strip is a very complicated one.”
“It happens in urban spaces because Hamas is hiding behind civilians … in schools, hospitals, mosques and worships places,” which he said included residential buildings.
Cohen said that Hamas was “hiding behind civilians.”
“I want us all to remember (Hamas) caused the war. … (We) need to remember Hamas is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.”
Cohen said one of Israel’s main focuses continues to be getting the safe release of some 130 hostages who remain in Hamas’ custody. They are among 240 taken during the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.