Hail Fetterman

Last week, reporter Mike Elk attended at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh a commemoration "marking the 5th anniversary of the 11 Jews that were killed there in the biggest massacre of Jews in U.S. history."  He reported that Pennsylvania senator John Fetterman, who was "at the edge of the ceremony,

has refused to back a ceasefire and has denounced those who have supported it. 

Last week, after someone spray painted the phrase “Free Palestine PGH-Gaza” on the side of local Allderdice high school down the street from the massacre, Fetterman tweeted that the graffiti was “reprehensible.” Then, Fetterman tweeted out a photo of his Senate wall with pictures of Hamas’ Israeli hostage, saying that “the only thing that belongs on a wall right now is this.”

When I asked Fetterman why he objected so much to someone spray painting the phrase “Free Palestine – PGH-Gaza” on a high school, he falsely stated that the message read, “Free Palestine from the river to sea, Palestine will be free.”

Fetterman defended his denouncement of the spraying painting.

“I don’t believe that whatever message you’re able to make shouldn’t be vandalized on a high school in the middle of Squirrel Hill, “says Fetterman. “I am really about making sure that Israel is able to do what Israel deserves to do.

Disappointingly, but not unexpected from a journalist of the left

.@JohnFetterman denounces "Free Palestine" graffitti on local high school & tells me why he's against the ceasefire.

Watch & read our multi-media package on 5th commemoration of Tree of Life Synagogue massacre https://t.co/zFYyA0jcCNhttps://t.co/nopKpMUUgc

— Mike Elk (@MikeElk) November 1, 2023

The entire slogan is not "free Palestine" but "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" and it most assuredly has not been official U.S. policy. Official U.S. policy has been support for a two-state solution, not a Palestine free of Jewish influence, as in "from the (Jordan) river to the (Mediterranean) sea."

An interesting spin on racialism has become prevalent on the far left, and on a limited basis on the near left. It has not dropped one bomb or launched one missile against Palestinians as we've known them. Tel Aviv has not attacked the Palestinians on the west bank, the Palestinians of Jordan (where Palestinians are in the majority), or Hezbollah in Lebanon. Yet, Israel is charged with pounding "the Palestinians" as if it is waging war against an entire race.

So John Fetterman thought "Free Palestine-PGH-Gaza" read "Free Palestine from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." The student must have run out of spray paint or space on the wall, or was simply lazy.  Journalist Elk apparently is not familiar with "a distinction without a difference."

 

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