US Secretary of State John Kerry. ( (Brendan Smialowski/Pool via AP)
Senator Cruz called on Secretary Kerry to resign over comments he and his staff made last week that suggested Israel is the root cause for Palestinian terrorism.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) called on Secretary of State John Kerry to resign over recent comments by senior Obama administration officials accusing Israel of committing “terrorism” amid a spate of Palestinian terror attacks against Israelis, the Washington Free Beacon reported Thursday.
Palestinian terrorists have committed multiple terror attacks against Israel over the past weeks, with Palestinian leaders calling on Palestinians to commit more violence, but State Department spokesmen and Kerry have issued several statements placing the onus on Israel.
Kerry blamed Israel’s construction in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria for the “Palestinian frustration” and violence, while State Department spokesman John Kirby accused Israel of using excessive force” against terrorists.
“Once again Secretary Kerry and his staff have proven themselves utterly unfit for the positions they hold,” Cruz told the Free Beacon. “Mr. Kirby should immediately retract his offensive assertion that Israel is ‘guilty of acts of terror’ or resign, and Secretary Kerry should immediately disavow these remarks or resign.”
“The Obama Administration is the most hostile we have seen towards the nation of Israel in our nation’s history,” Cruz said. “In the last few days, this obsessive antagonism has been on full display.”
The “offensive” comments are a pattern for the State Department, the Free Beacon pointed out.
In April 2014, Kerry threatened Israel could become an “Apartheid state” it did not give in to his demands for concessions to the Palestinians. Cruz called on Kerry to resign then for the first time.
‘Disgusting and Shameful’
Congressman Lee Zeldin (R- NY) called on President Barack Obama to fire spokesman Kirby.
“It is absolutely disgusting and shameful that the Obama administration not only refuses to stand strong with our ally in Israel, but actually has the audacity to claim that the Israelis are guilty of terrorism,” Zeldin said in a statement Thursday.
Zeldin went on to say that Kirby’s comments warrant an “immediate removal.”
“Admiral Kirby’s accusation warrants his immediate removal. He should absolutely not utter one more word on behalf of America’s foreign policy. If Secretary John Kerry refuses to speak out and discipline Mr. Kirby than Secretary Kerry needs to step aside as well,” Zeldin said.
By: United with Israel Staff