(FeaturedHeadlines.com) Democratic US Senator John Fetterman blasted his colleagues for their refusal to condemn Iran for its strikes on Israel, calling such an action “crazy” and appalling. Fetterman also criticized pro-Palestine protests across the United States.
On April 13, Iran and other aligned groups launched a drone and missile attack on Israel, in response to an April 1 Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic outpost in Syria. Israel subsequently responded with an attack on Iran on April 19—the birthday of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Some Democrats did not immediately condemn Iran for the strikes and expressed concerns that an Israeli strike on Iran could exacerbate tensions and conflict in the region. However, Fetterman said that he is in no position to tell Israel what to do. Nevertheless, Fetterman also said that he hopes the conflict does not expand.
Fetterman expressed opposition to disruptive pro-Palestine protests as well. Protestors who block traffic risk impeding emergency services, making people late for work, or hindering their ability to take care of their children, Fetterman said.
Fetterman said that he supports the right to protest in an “appropriate way” but takes issue when demonstrations disrupt the lives of everyday Americans. In addition to the roadway protests, pro-Palestine demonstrations have also erupted on college campuses across the United States.
Dozens of students have been arrested amid protests at Columbia, Yale, and New York University. Pro-Palestine demonstrators have taken to occupying areas of the college campuses, leading administrators to request the assistance of law enforcement to clear out the spaces.
The protests at Columbia prompted the university to suspend in-person classes. The demonstrations at Columbia have allegedly included antisemitic incidents, leading a local rabbi to urge hundreds of Jewish students to return home until the university restores a safe campus.
Considering that college campuses are typically voting bases for Democrats, lawmakers like Fetterman may find themselves weighing their support for Israel with the need to appease the youth voting bloc, which appears to lean pro-Palestine.
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