TEL AVIV, Israel — One of the first things North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum did when he landed in Tel Aviv was meet with locals whose family members had been taken hostage by Hamas.
One was a cousin of a 3-year-old who was abducted nearly two months ago, he said. Another man’s two sons have been held prisoner for roughly a year.
The meeting was part of his four-day trip to Israel to speak with Israeli citizens and officials about attacks perpetrated by terrorist groups, including Hamas. Sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition, the trip came just weeks before the first anniversary of Hamas launching an attack on Oct. 7, 2023, against Israel. The assault killed more than 1,100 people, leading to a war that is still ongoing.
“Oct. 7 was Israel’s 9/11,” Burgum told The Forum on Thursday, Oct. 4.
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Burgum reaffirmed North Dakota’s support for Israel on Sunday as a way to mark the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. He directed the State Capitol building to be lit blue and white, the colors of Israel’s flag, on Sunday and Monday.
On Tuesday, just days after Burgum flew back to North Dakota from Israel, Iran launched a massive attack against Israel, with some missiles going through Israel’s nearly impenetrable Iron Dome missile defense system north of Tel Aviv. The launch was in response to the assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, among other deaths, according to media reports.
Hezbollah is an Iran-backed militia in Lebanon. It doesn’t control the Lebanese government, but it wields significant power in the country that borders Israel to the north. Like Hamas, the U.S. considers Hezbollah a terrorist group.
Despite thousands of rockets being fired on Israel, its citizens continue on with their lives, a move that Burgum called inspirational.
“The strength and the will of the people who are under attack is, you can’t read about that,” he said. “You have to see that firsthand and understand that.”
Burgum’s four-day trip started Sept. 17, as pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah in Lebanon exploded. The attacks killed dozens and injured thousands.
Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have blamed Israel for the pager attack, though Israel hasn’t commented on the incident, according to media reports.
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Burgum said he and others were under pressure to complete their objectives in a short amount of time. With the threat of a missile attack from Iran imminent, flights into and out of Israel were being canceled, he said.
There is misinformation about what is happening in Israel, Burgum said in noting why it was important for him to talk to people “on the ground” and “fighting the battles.” One man whose son is being held hostage told Burgum that Israel cannot make deals for hostages if that means Iran gets a nuclear weapon, the governor said.
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“I think it’s extremely valuable for anyone in the U.S. that’s touching or influencing policy to really understand what’s going on on the ground in these war zones,” he said.
In addition to meeting with the family members of hostages, Burgum also spoke to what he called “unsung heroes.” That included off-duty police officers and retired military members who jumped into action to help others during attacks, as well as those who operate the Iron Dome.
“There are going to be some moments that … I won’t forget personally,” he said.
He also met family members who lost loved ones during the Supernova music festival massacre on Oct. 7, 2023. Video shows thousands of festivalgoers danced in the early hours as Hamas launched rockets.
As attendees fled, militants shot at them, according to media reports. More than 350 died in the attack, according to media reports.
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“That really hit home because, if you’ve got kids that are in their 20s and going to music festivals, it’s like wow, to think that they walked in there and the violence that (Hamas) committed,” Burgum said.
Burgum said he met an officer who helped saved festival attendees. He went back and forth a dozen times, bringing back as many attendees as possible to safety, the governor said.
“These are just incredible stories,” he said. “You understand more in-depth what we all kind of know about Oct. 7, with that anniversary coming up.”
The officials Burgum met included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They talked about the importance of the U.S. and Israel being allies, the events that happened that week and the threat of Iran getting a nuclear weapon.
“If Iran gets a nuclear weapon, then the threat of World War III is at our doorstep,” he said.
Burgum criticized President Joe Biden’s administration, saying that it is wavering in its support for Israel. In an interview with Fox News, Burgum said the Biden administration unfroze billions of dollars in frozen assets to Iran.
Burgum claimed that money went to Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis, a military group based in Yemen that also has been labeled a terrorist organization.
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“We’re in a proxy war with Iran right now,” he told Fox.
Former President Donald Trump’s sanctions had “Iran financially on their knees,” he told The Forum. Under the Biden administration, Iran has increased its oil and arms exports, Burgum said.
Iran has sold drones to Russia, which the country is using against Ukraine, Burgum said.
“The problems with Iran are connected to both of the proxy wars that we are involved with right now,” he said. “The Biden-Harris (administration) allowing Iran’s production to increase has been a key failure in foreign policy because it’s literally helping to pay for both wars that we’re in.”
Iran sees Trump as a threat, Burgum said in pointing to U.S. intelligence that unveiled an Iranian plot to assassinate the former president.
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“He’s been one of the strongest presidents in supporting Israel, which is the key to peace in the Middle East, the key to democracy everywhere, in terms of a country being able to be democratic and self-determination,” Burgum said of Trump. “I could easily see where, if President Trump wins, on the day that he is sworn in is when all the hostages finally come home, if not before that.”
Activists across the county have voiced support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and have protested the U.S. government’s support of Israel. In Fargo, supporters of Palestine have called on city leaders to approve a resolution that would ask for a cease-fire in Gaza, calling Israel’s war “a genocide on the Palestinian people.”
As of mid-August, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war in the strip, according to media reports.
Hamas governs Gaza.
When asked what he would say to supporters of Palestine and Palestinian Americans, Burgum said “we have to be careful” about labels for groups. People of various religions live in Israel, he said.
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Supporting Israel is about standing up against terrorism, Burgum said. The goal of terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah is to destroy Israel and the U.S., he said.
“It’s a function of terrorism that we have to be against, not against a group of people,” he said. “We stand up against terrorism around the world, and we support our allies. In this case, it’s really clear to me that our ally is Israel. Free people everywhere have to be united against the tyranny of terrorism and those people that financially support it.”
Grace M. Kegler, 94, of Grand Forks, ND passed away Monday, December 23, 2024, at Edgewood Vista in East Grand Forks, MN. Memorial Liturgy 1100 a.m. Saturday, December 28, 2024, with a 1030 a.m. Rosary Service in the Historic Norman Funeral Home Chapel. Family Greeting 1000 a.m. to 1100 a.m.
Coming out of a difficult non-conference span of games, this past week was likely a step down in competition for the Alabama Crimson Tide basketball team.
Beginning on Wednesday night, the Crimson Tide did what most programs do not often do, traveling across the country mid-week for a true road game against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. Alabama would however win that contest in a closer game than most expected, 97-90, and then returned home Sunday for a showdown with the Kent State Golden Flashes in which they were victorious, 81-54.
Because of these results, Alabama now sits at 10-2 overall for the 2024-25 season with the Crimson Tide’s non-conference schedule winding down, and the start of SEC play looming in early-January.
However, just how much did these results affect Alabama’s AP Poll Top 25 ranking, if at all?
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After carrying a ranking of No. 6 last week, Alabama rose one spot up to No. 5 in the latest AP Poll released Monday afternoon. The Crimson Tide were also the third highest-ranked SEC team, trailing only No. 1 Tennessee and No. 2 Auburn.
Riding a four-game winning streak, the Crimson Tide will officially be back in action this upcoming Sunday, Dec. 29 at home against South Dakota State, with tipoff set for 3 p.m. ET on either SEC Network+ or ESPN+.
It has been a year of adjusting for North Dakota State Junior Guard Brennan Watkins, who has found a new home in Fargo after two seasons at VMI.
“It’s different in the stand point that I get to just focus on basketball more. At VMI there was military, a lot of academics and then basketball was kind of an after thought. Obviously there is time for academics but I have more time to be in the gym and get more shots up,” said Watkins looking back at his time out east.
As the Missouri native navigates his first season with the green and gold, Watkins also has to adjust to some new headgear after a gruesome injury in the game against Weber State earlier this season.
“I didn’t even know where I got hit. I just knew there was pain radiating around my face. My reaction was to just put my hands to my face. I kind of took my hands away and my hands were just completely filled with blood and I was like oh no that’s not good” he said.
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Watkins suffered a compound fracture breaking his nose in two places.
“When I was at the game the team doctor readjusted it partially there and they said it was too swollen to completely adjust it. I think once I go back to the doctor they are going to adjust it a second time too. There is not pain but it is difficult to breathe. I’m not really getting as much airflow through my nose as I am used to” said Watkins describing his challenges with the broken nose.
Despite the injury, Watkins hasn’t missed a game or a beat becoming the “Masked Man” for the Bison.
“It’s completely different. I can’t really see out of my peripherals. Once I start to sweat the clear mask starts to fog up so that creates another problem. It’s truly difficult. I don’t think people understand how much of a difference it makes,” he said.
“Brennan has always been a really talented basketball player. Gifted offensive player and we have challenged him on the little things, the winning plays and he is starting to understand those and execute those things and that’s the next step for him,” said NDSU Head Coach, Dave Richman.
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A warrior, Watkins is determined to stay on the floor and make those winning plays for North Dakota State.
“Just do anything for my team and help them win that is just kind of the player I am. It doesn’t matter if I have a broken nose. If I am able to play I’m going to be out there,” said Watkins.
The Bison Men’s Basketball Team has one more non-conference match up against CSU-Bakersfield on Monday night before conference play begins on January, 2nd.
Sam Goetzinger joined WDAY News as a reporter and anchor in 2022 after graduating from St. Cloud State University. Sam worked alongside his Dad in the radio industry for 10 years in his hometown of New Prague, Minnesota before heading off to college. Along with his news responsibilities, Sam also handles play-by-play duties for North Dakota and Minnesota high school athletics.