Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) unequivocally characterizes the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel as fully justifying any subsequent response by the Israelis.
Fetterman, one of the most visible Democratic lawmakers who has refuted those to his left on the Israeli issue, has never wavered in his support for Israel, even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orchestrated a response that — in its goal to wholly eradicate Hamas — has leveled large parts of Gaza, killing innocent civilians and bringing the region to the brink of famine.
Fetterman has remained unpersuaded by accusations filed with numerous international organizations suggesting that the Israeli response in Gaza should be considered “genocide.”
The International Court of Justice ruled in January, in a case brought by South Africa, that Israel would be required to “ensure that it does not commit acts that might fall within the scope of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide” and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
When a United Nations Special Committee Report asserted in September 2024 that “Israel’s warfare in Gaza is consistent with the characteristics of genocide, with mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions intentionally imposed on Palestinians there,” Fetterman remained unpersuaded.
Now the Senator from Pennsylvania is actively amplifying the assertion by Pope Francis that the Gaza humanitarian crisis constitutes genocide — or should be investigated as genocide. And Fetterman is refuting the Vatican’s assertion “in the strongest terms.”
I reject the accusation and investigation in the strongest terms. pic.twitter.com/eMe2E6bqPu
— John Fetterman (@JohnFetterman) November 18, 2024
Fetterman still displays photos of the hostages taken by Hamas in his Senate Office and he has hung an Israeli flag behind his desk.
A progressive on social issues to the degree that he has been praised by progressive firebrand Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Fetterman has landed — and stayed — far to the right of the progressive wing of his party on everything to do with Israel, winning praise from conservative American Jews who had previously disdained him.
Despite drawing condemnation from the left, a year ago Fetterman objected to the idea of a ceasefire to spare innocent lives, believing that a premature ceasefire that didn’t eradicate Hamas would ultimately cost more lives than it would save. “If not for the horrific attacks by Hamas terrorists, thousands of innocent Israelis and Palestinians would still be alive today,” Fetterman wrote.
Now is not the time to talk about a ceasefire. 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.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) October 18, 2023