Taylor Swift‘s bodyguard landed safely in Israel on Thursday (Oct. 19) after taking leave from his job guarding the pop star to return home to help fight in Israel’s war against terror group Hamas. “Hey @taylorswift, we promise you’ll never find another like him [blue heart emoji],” read a social post from the State of Israel.
“Taylor Swift’s #ErasTour body guard returned home to fight for his country. We love your Eran [Israeli flag, heart emoji].”
Swift’s security guard is expected to join the reserves of the Israel Defense Forces, the national military of the State of Israel in order to fight for the nation following the horrific Oct. 7 surprise terror attack by Hamas that resulted in the killing of more than 1,400 Israelis and the kidnapping of more than 200 men, women, children and elderly citizens.
Prior to his return, the guard (whose name is being withheld for his safety) told Israeli journalist Eran Swisa, “I got a pretty great life back in the U.S. I got an amazing dream job that I love, great friends that I call family and a very comfortable home. I didn’t HAVE to come here… But I could not stand on the sidelines while families are being slaughtered and burned alive in their homes!!! Just for being Jewish or for being Israelis.”
The guard — who went viral earlier this summer when Swifties praised him for his fierce crowd-scanning skills — added, “I’m not only standing here with Israel and actually standing here. I’m standing here with humanity,” according to the statement released shared by Swisa. “Don’t be on the wrong side of history!! Don’t stand on the sidelines and say nothing… Stand with Israel, stand with HUMANITY!!!!!”
After his quick trip to Israel on Wednesday to meet with the nation’s leaders as a show of U.S. support in advance of what is expected to be a major Israeli land incursion into Gaza to root out Hamas, President Biden took to prime time on Thursday night to plead with Americans to stand behind the nation (as well as Ukraine) and make a case for providing military and economic aid to both nations to shore up global, and national, security.
“History has taught us that when terrorists don’t pay a price for their terror, when dictators don’t pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction,” Biden said from behind the Resolute Desk in a rare nighttime address. “They keep going. And the cost and the threats to America and the world keep rising.” The administration has asked for $74 billion in aid for Israel and Ukraine to pay for weapons and military equipment; the aid is in question amidst the ongoing leadership crisis in the House of Representatives, where Republicans have repeatedly failed to nominate a Speaker in the wake of the ouster of Kevin McCarthy earlier this month.
Since the Hamas attack two weeks ago Israel has been pounding Gaza with airstrikes, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths, 13,000 injured and the displacement of more than 1 million Palestinian civilians. Israel has called up more than 360,000 reservists to join what is expected to be a long, difficult battle against militant group Hamas, which has reportedly been telling Palestinians attempting to flee south in advance of the Israeli land campaign to stay put, further jeopardizing their safety in the face of what is expected to be a devastating show of force from Israel.
Check out the State of Israel’s post below.
