Fetterman says U.S. should stand with Israel if it retaliates against Iran
WASHINGTON — The U.S. should not stand in the way if Israel retaliates against Iran’s weekend attack against the Jewish state, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman said Sunday.
Mr. Fetterman, D-Pa., said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he disagreed with reports saying President Joe Biden has urged Israel not to hit back after successfully repelling a barrage of missiles and drones launched by Iran and suffering little damage.
“I don’t agree with that,” Mr. Fetterman said. “And I just think we should follow and have Israel’s back in this situation. I don’t agree with the president. That doesn’t change anything that he’s a fantastic president. I’m proud to stand with him and campaign for him and vote for him.”
Mr. Biden is under pressure from far-left elements of the party to demand an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, leaving Hamas in control of Gaza and in possession of an unknown number of hostages. Pro-Palestinian activists have been critical of Mr. Biden, showing up at events to protest his continued backing of Israel’s right to respond to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack, and have begun an effort to get voters in Pennsylvania’s April 23 Democratic primary to write in “uncommitted” rather than support the president.
Critics of Israel have cited the intensity of its response to the Hamas attack. The Hamas-controlled Gaza
“But Hamas could end this today right now and all the devastation and the death and all of that if they just released all the hostages and surrendered. And, of course, they won’t do that. And that’s why we’re in this situation.” Sen. John Fetterman
Health Ministry said more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, but Israel said that 10,000 of them were combatants.
Mr. Fetterman, who broke with members of the left wing of his party regarding the Hamas war, said reining in Israel would only help Hamas. The Iranianaligned Palestinian group rules the Gaza Strip and launched a war against the Jewish state on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 1,200 hostages. It was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.
“The president is entitled to his own views and whatever he decides to do,” Mr. Fetterman said. “But I would never capitulate to the fringe. I will never pander to that as well. In fact, that helps — that empowers Hamas. And Hamas is — they’re actually convinced that they are winning the PR war, and they’re never going to negotiate at this point.”
He said the Iran attack against Israel only enforced the need for the U.S. to stand firmly behind the Jewish state and continue aid without any conditions.
“I think it really demonstrates how it’s astonishing that we are not standing firmly with Israel, and there should never be any kinds of conditions and all that,” Mr. Fetterman said. “When a nation can launch hundreds of drones towards Israel, I’m not going to be talking about conditions ever.”
Mr. Fetterman said that “Iran had to have some fireworks” after Israel killed two senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran has supported Hamas and another ally, Hezbollah, that has fired missiles from across Israel’s northern border. The senator said the Iranian attack “demonstrates how unstable things are and why we need to lean in and stand with Israel.”
And he said there should be more discussion about the hostages Hamas captured when it attacked Israel.
“I know why they’re not willing to provide any kind of proof of life,” he said. “And I don’t know why there’s not more of that conversation in the media. Like, what about the hostages? What’s happened to them? Where are they now? And let’s just bring them home. And then all of the harsh words should be directed at Hamas, which started this and now continues to hold all of over 100 Israeli hostages.”
Mr. Biden has demanded the release of some hostages as part of any deal, a position reinforced Sunday by the G-7 nations — the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom.
The G-7 said Sunday that it “unequivocally” condemned “in the strongest terms Iran’s direct and unprecedented attack against Israel” and expressed “full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment towards its security.”
The group also said it would “strengthen our cooperation to end the crisis in Gaza, including by continuing to work towards an immediate and sustainable cease-fire and the release of hostages by Hamas, and deliver increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in need.”
John Kirby, White House National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that a new cease-fire agreement would “get dozens of the most at- risk women, elderly, the wounded out, get us a six-week cease-fire. So a little bit more calm and get us an opportunity to get more humanitarian assistance in. The Hamas leaders need to take that deal.”
Mr. Fetterman said that Mr. Biden nor Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could end the war by themselves.
“But Hamas could end this today right now and all the devastation and the death and all of that if they just released all the hostages and surrendered,” he said. “And, of course, they won’t do that. And that’s why we’re in this situation.”