Senator John Fetterman’s record of saying the right thing is still going. He was one of a bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers who met with the speaker of the Israeli Knesset, Amir Ohana today.
The lawmakers held a press conference with the families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Fetterman took aim at pro-Hamas protesters who continue to call for a cease-fire
“I think I’ve met with six, six family victim groups during all of this. And, you know, that should have stopped because everyone should have been home long ago,” Fetterman said.
“And I don’t understand why, to anyone that is protesting or demanding for a cease-fire, let’s be honest here, why aren’t you protesting to bring them all home right now? Why aren’t you demanding that Hamas surrenders as well?”
Fetterman noted that he supports a two-state solution but that is a non-starter as long as Hamas exists.
I support a two-state solution as well. But that is meaningless until Hamas is effectively eliminated,” the Pennsylvania Democrat said.
“Hamas now disavows and rejects a two-state solution as well, too, and now they are committed to the destruction of Israel,” Fetterman said. “I would never want to negotiate with a group that [is] committed to my death as well.”
“Bring all of these people back home now…and stop pretending this is some kind of equivalence here.”
It does your heart good, doesn’t it, to hear words of sanity coming out of a politician who was acting like he was a member of the progressive caucus not so long ago? As long as he keeps it up, I’m going to offer kudos. Credit where credit is due.
One of the people meeting with the lawmakers was Thomas Hand, father of nine-year-old Emily who was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Fortunately, Emily was released in the first hostage deal after 50 days in captivity.
Thomas joined the delegation of Knesset members and other hostage family members to advocate for a hostage deal. He said it is hard to keep up hope for those still being held hostage but he wants to do what he can to help others.
“What can I do? I got my loved one back,” Thomas asked The Jerusalem Post. “Every parent, brother, and sister needs to get their loved one back.
“I can only help just by being here, because of what’s happened to me and my family somehow gives support to them, gives them hope that it’s possible that it can happen,” Thomas said.
“It just fades and fades and fades. I hope I lift their spirits.”
Thomas said every person on Capitol Hill the delegation spoke to on Tuesday was very positive.
“They’re going to support us until the very end,” Thomas said. “No matter what.”
He teared up as he spoke to reporters. He said Emily is doing well. She is in therapy. Thomas said the 50 days Emily was held hostage were the longest and worst days of his life. He doesn’t know how the families still waiting for their loved ones are still able to hold up.
“I don’t know how these people are still standing. I really don’t. Because as soon as I got me back I literally physically collapsed. I had nothing left inside me,” Thomas said. “All my anger and all my adrenaline had gone. Once you get back, you just relax. You’re running on empty all the time. I don’t know how these people survive.”
As Ed wrote earlier today, there is no dealing with Hamas. They are not honest brokers and they aren’t interested in peace. Their mission is to destroy Israel and kill the Jews. Hamas has been clear about that all along. As Fetterman rightly noted, there can be no cease-fire until all of the hostages are released and brought home.
I hope Fetterman and others in Congress will continue to speak out with support for Israel. I fear that the Biden administration is going wobbly in its support for Israel. It’s reported that Biden publicly voices support for Israel and privately curses Netanyahu. Israel must be allowed to fight and destroy Hamas without Biden and his minions like Secretary of State Antony Blinken wagging their fingers in Netanyahu’s face.
There is also the question if Biden is up to the job. Yesterday he was speaking to the press and forgot the name of Hamas. He called them ‘the opposition’ before a reporter asked, “Do you mean Hamas?” Then he said yes. Heaven help us all.
BIDEN: “There is some movement, and I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna, let me be choose my words — there’s some movement. There’s been a response from the, uh, there’s been a response from the opposition, but um…”
REPORTER: “Hamas?”
BIDEN: “Yes, I’m sorry, from Hamas…” pic.twitter.com/wzYqFZCCjM
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 6, 2024
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