Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman called out anti-Israel protestors who attacked a Jewish restaurant in his state.
The Pennsylvania senator made his remarks in response to a video of protestors surrounding a Jewish-owned falafel restaurant in Philadelphia chanting, "Goldie, Goldie you can't hide. We charge you with genocide."
"They could be protesting Hamas," Fetterman wrote. "They could be protesting Hamas' systematic rape of Israeli women and girls or demanding the remaining hostages be immediately released."
"Instead, they targeted a Jewish restaurant," he continued. "It's pathetic and rank antisemitism."
In contrast to fellow progressive lawmakers, Fetterman has been an outspoken supporter of Israel and has repeatedly called for the release of Israeli hostages taken during October's invasion of the Jewish state by Islamic militant group Hamas. Over 1,200 Israelis were killed in the Oct. 7 attack and more than 200 were taken hostage in Gaza.
“In my front office I have displayed the posters of the innocent Israelis kidnapped by Hamas," Fetterman wrote in an early November post to X. "They will stay up until every single person is safely returned home."
Following the October attack, calls for a ceasefire emerged from progressive lawmakers in Congress after Israel engaged in military retaliation on the Gaza Strip. Fetterman took aim at his fellow colleagues in a series of social media posts.
“It’s truly disturbing that Members of Congress rushed to blame Israel for the hospital tragedy in Gaza,” Fetterman wrote on Oct. 18. “Who would take the word of a group that just massacred innocent Israeli civilians over our key ally?”
“I will always stand with Israel and look forward to supporting any military, intelligence, or humanitarian aid to get the job done,” he added.
Fellow progressive lawmakers have come under fire for their stance in opposition to Israel, including Massachusetts Rep. Rashida Tlaib and more recently Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal.
The Massachusetts representative has previously invoked a pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist slogan, "from the river to the sea," which critics claim refers to the destruction of the Jewish state.
"From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate," Tlaib said of the slogan. "My work and advocacy is always centered in justice and dignity for all people no matter faith or ethnicity."
During an October protest at the U.S. Capitol in which Palestinian and anti-Zionist supporters entered the Capitol rotunda, the Massachusetts representative joined demonstrators outside and called out President Joe Biden's support for Israel.
“Not all of America’s with you on this one," Tlaib said.
“We are literally watching people commit genocide and kill a vast majority just like this,” she said as she pointed to the crowd of protestors.
Last week, Jayapal came under fire as critics claimed the Washington representative downplayed the rape of Israeli women.
“I think we have to be balanced about bringing in the outrages against Palestinians," Jayapal said during an interview with CNN's Dana Bash. "Fifteen thousand Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes, three-quarters of whom are women and children."
