‘We need to be there for our allies’: Bexar County commissioner condemns attack on Israel

For many in Bexar County, watching terror unfold in Israel feels personal.

“It’s something that people need to know about,” said Precinct 3 Commissioner Grant Moody. “They need to recognize what’s going on, the atrocities that were committed.”

During Tuesday’s commissioners’ court meeting, Moody made a powerful statement condemning the violence.

“Let me be very clear — the Palestinian civilian casualties over the coming months is on the hands of Hamas,” he said.

Moody, who served in the U.S. Marines, has been deployed to the Middle East to fight terror.

“Safety has a cost,” he said. “And, you know, that’s one of the reasons why we need to be there for our allies when they need us most.”

In 2018, Moody visited Israel. He says he still stays in touch with some of the people he met.

“I think we need to be right there, shoulder to shoulder with them,” he said.

Dr. Ian Smith, the program director for International Relations and visiting professor at St. Mary’s University, said it’s unclear right now if any refugees will come to the U.S. or Texas.

“I would suspect if anywhere in the U.S. ends up seeing refugees being brought in, we will be pretty high on the list, given our experience and our capabilities here,” he said of San Antonio.

Moody hopes his message is clear.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” he said. “And that’s exactly what we’re seeing, you know, in Israel today.”