On Israel, not all Pennsylvania Democrats showed Fetterman’s moral clarity
Salena Zito
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BRADDOCK, Pennsylvania — Democratic Sen. John Fetterman left no doubt where he stood on the war in Israel in a Wednesday post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. In it, Fetterman took aim at fellow western Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Summer Lee’s insistence that a ceasefire be called. He also forced his in-state Senate colleague Bob Casey, Jr., a Scranton Democrat, to finally take a stand.
“Now is not the time to talk about a ceasefire,” Fetterman posted. “We must support Israel in efforts to eliminate the Hamas terrorists who slaughtered innocent men, women, and children. Hamas does not want peace, they want to destroy Israel. We can talk about a ceasefire after Hamas is neutralized.”
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The post was a departure from his often glib X account, which regularly focuses on poking fun at Republicans and using crass language to make a point. This time, Fetterman was direct and fearless in taking a stand that is at odds with Lee, who has been vocal in her support for a ceasefire, which is something Casey had remained silent over.
Fetterman also took aim on X at Lee and other Members of Congress for their blind insistence that Israel struck the hospital in Gaza that actually was hit by a misfired Islamic Jihad missile, posting, “It is truly disturbing that Members of Congress rushed to blame Israel for the hospital tragedy in Gaza. Who would take the word of a group that just massacred innocent Israeli civilians over our key ally?”
Dave McCormick, the Pittsburgh Republican who is challenging Casey in next year’s Senate race and often the unflattering brunt of Fetterman’s X posts, praised Fetterman for taking a stand on Israel.
McCormick posted: “Thank-you Senator Fetterman for your leadership on this. It is a shame Pennsylvania’s other Senator sits silent and won’t criticize his own party.”
McCormick was referencing Casey’s lack of overall positioning on the call for a ceasefire within his own party and his own state delegation and for refusing to call out his fellow Pennsylvania Democrats for blaming Israel for the Gaza hospital tragedy after evidence showed that story was false.
Even President Joe Biden reinforced that Israelis were not to blame for the Gaza bombing.
Casey finally issued a statement on X that did not address his position on a ceasefire nor condemned Lee for her reckless rush to blame Israel for the hospital bombing. Instead, he focused his support for Israel over the deadly October 7
terrorist attacks and supported freezing $6 billion in Iranian assets. He also said Congress has an obligation Congress to pass funding to help Israel and Ukraine defend themselves.
Also, from Casey: “In the 11 days since Hamas brutally attacked Israel, we’ve seen abhorrent statements from college students to elected officials blaming Israel for the murderous actions of Hamas. The United States stands with Israel as it responds to this attack by working to destroy Hamas.”
On Wednesday, after Al Jazeera incorrectly reported that 500 Palestinians had been killed in an Israeli air strike on al-Ahll Arab Hospital in Gaza, Lee posted on X that “There is no moral ambiguity. Bombing a hospital is reprehensible and a war crime.”
The hospital bombing reports repeated by the New York Times, Reuters, CNN, the Associated Press, and a multitude of others were examples of journalists and elected officials leaping into trusting the word of a terrorist group, the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, and not waiting to the get the facts straight.
Lee’s post remains on X.
Fetterman took some heat on X for his strident support for Israel and for his condemnation of the rush for judgment from congressional members to blame Israel, yet remained as unwavering as he has in his stance on Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, who was indicted last month on charges of bribery and other crimes.
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Fetterman was the first person to call for Menendez’s resignation on X, saying:
“He’s entitled to the presumption of innocence, but he cannot continue to wield influence over national policy, especially given the serious and specific nature of the allegations. I hope he chooses an honorable exit and focuses on his trial.”