U.S. Congressman Andy Ogles Sports “Messiah” Patch During Judea and Samaria Visit

At a meeting held earlier this week in the office of Yesha Council chairman Israel Ganz, Congressman Andy Ogles appeared wearing a jacket featuring patches with the words “Messiah” and “Speedily in Our Days,” as well as an Israeli flag.

The visit came as part of a broader congressional delegation to Israel organized by Yes! Israel. On Tuesday, February 17 the group of U.S. lawmakers met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his Jerusalem office.  Among those present were Rep. Clay Higgins, Rep. Andy Ogles, and Rep. Scott Perry, together with Yes! Israel founders Sarah Paley and Ruth Lieberman.

During the visit, the three Republican congressmen also participated in a roundtable discussion at the Knesset with three coalition Knesset members, addressing U.S. aid to Israel, the dangers of establishing a Palestinian state, and the rise of anti Israel and antisemitic sentiment within parts of the political right.

Meeting in Binyamin

During the meeting, Ganz displayed bullets that had been fired at his home and warned of what he described as the Arab takeover of Area C. “They knew I live here. This is a bullet that struck my house. We cannot continue without acting decisively, because doing nothing is also a decision. Today there is lawlessness in the area,” he said.

“If we do not decide, reality will decide for us. We must take responsibility and say clearly, this is our land, this is our state. Anyone who wants to live here is welcome to do so, subject to law and order. Why are people afraid of the word sovereignty? All it means is applying the law. Until a week ago, I could not purchase land here, in my own country. That is absurd,” he added.

Ganz used a map to explain to the congressman how the Palestinian Authority is carrying out a takeover of Area C, endangering all Israeli residents. “The danger is also to residents of Netanya and Kfar Saba. Before October 7 we had a fence and thought it would protect us. It did not work. We must not repeat the same mistake.”

Ogles responded: “As I understand it, Area C is under Israeli control. Yes, agreements were signed in the past, but in practice the old agreement no longer truly exists. If you look at the map, there is no longer a clear separation of Areas A, B, and C as there once was. When I look at history, from 1967 until October 7, we keep having the same conversation again and again and never reach a long term solution. Where I come from, you do not go back to the same place to have the same conversation you had a decade earlier.”

The congressman added:“Someone needs to talk about the problems. What do we do with 45,000 soldiers or police officers holding weapons, with RPG launchers and explosive devices? Why are we talking about settlements when there are such severe security issues here?”

“Messiah”

Pictures from the visit showed Congressman Ogles wearing a jacket with military patches that were popularized among IDF soldiers during the War of Redemption (October 7) bearing the words “Messiah” and “Speedily in Our Days,” along with the Israeli flag.

At the conclusion of the conversation, Ogles did not declared: “The land of the Bible is the historic homeland of the Jewish people. The Jewish connection to Judea and Samaria is not new and not political, it is ancient and rooted in Scripture. As it is written in the book of Ezekiel, ‘And I sought of them a man who puts up a wall and stands in the breach before Me, for the sake of the land.’ The Jewish people are entitled to live in security in their homeland.”