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Thread: Top Dems turn on Kerry over Israel speech

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    Top Dems turn on Kerry over Israel speech

    -Secretary of State John Kerry is under fire for his blunt speech taking aim at the Israeli government -- with criticism coming from not only congressional Republicans, but also from members of his own party.

    The defiant secretary of state used the speech Wednesday to defend the decision by the Obama administration to abstain on a U.N. Security Council resolution calling Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem a violation of international law. The abstention allowed the measure to pass Friday – enraging the Israelis and drawing a strong rebuke from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    That abstention was opposed by a number of Democratic lawmakers, including incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY., as well as Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Chris Coons, D-Del., Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.

    In his speech defending the abstention, Kerry rebuked what he called the "settler agenda," which he claimed is hurting prospects for peace.

    "Friends need to tell each other the hard truths, and friendships require mutual respect," Kerry said. He called the current government the "most right-wing" in Israel's history and claimed its agenda is "driven by the most extreme elements."

    Kerry's speech was instantly met with a fresh wave of criticism from Republicans, with President-elect Donald Trump tweeting: "We cannot continue to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect."

    Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., also took issue with the speech:

    "Secretary Kerry's speech today was at best a pointless tirade in the waning days of an outgoing administration. At worst, it was another dangerous outburst that will further Israel's diplomatic isolation and embolden its enemies," he said.
    However, Kerry's words were also criticized by senior members of his own party, with Schumer accusing him of emboldening extremism.

    "While Secretary Kerry mentioned Gaza in his speech, he seems to have forgotten the history of the settlements in Gaza, where the Israeli government forced settlers to withdraw from all settlements and the Palestinians responded by sending rockets into Israel," Schumer said...

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016...el-speech.html


  2. #2
    Administrator fuego's Avatar
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    Good for them.

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