Washington – U.S. Rep. Barney Frank had harsh words yesterday for the Israeli Navy after a bloody raid on a pro-Palestinian flotilla outside of Gaza, describing nine activists killed in the conflict as “innocent” and calling for an independent inquiry into the showdown.
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Frank, in a wide-ranging interview with the Herald, went on to say that “as a Jew,” Israeli treatment of Arabs around some of the West Bank settlements “makes me ashamed that there would be Jews that would engage in that kind of victimization of a minority.”
The comments rankled some local Jewish leaders, who said activists on the largest vessel of the six-ship-flotilla sparked the deadly confrontation by attacking Israeli Naval commandos as they rappelled onto the ship.
“They weren’t innocent at all, it’s pretty clear,” said Nancy K. Kaufman, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council in Boston. “There’s something called self-defense and (Israeli officials) have a right to use it. As usual, everyone’s jumping on Israel and blaming Israel.”
Frank’s criticism comes as Israel faces a blistering worldwide backlash for its part in the early Monday morning raid, receiving only lukewarm U.S. support, in an incident that has underscored deep divides over Israeli-Palestinian issues. Israeli officials said members of the boarding party opened fire to defend themselves from a violent, armed assault, while activists said they were the ones under attack.
Frank said, “Once you have a combat situation and innocent people die, I mean, you know, look at our problems in Afghanistan, and we have an obligation to try and avoid it.” In defense of Israel, Frank added there are people “howling for Israel to pay a price that don’t seem disturbed that North Koreans killed 46 South Koreans by torpedoing a South Korean boat. I think we have a right to ask for some consistency.”
Frank called for a “genuinely impartial” inquiry, while local Jewish leaders questioned whether any international panel will be impartial toward Israel.
Nadav Tamir, Israel’s consul general to New England, said Israel would investigate the raid. He said the fact that Israeli forces did not use weapons on five other boats shows that they acted only in self-defense.
Meanwhile, Joseph Bangert of Brewster said U.S. officials told him yesterday his son Fiachra O’Luain, 29, will be deported in two or three days. Bangert said the dual Irish and American citizen will return to Boston. O’Luain, who was not injured, was being held at a Negev Desert prison with at least 600 others from the flotilla raid, he said, adding he hasn’t been able to speak with his son.
John Bangert of Harwich, O’Luain’s uncle, said he believes Katherine Sheetz, 63, of Woods Hole is being held with his nephew. Her relatives could not be reached. A Maine filmmaker hired to document the blockade-running flotilla, Scott Hamann, 29, of South Portland, also was being detained.
As a Jew, I’m ashamed of Barney Frank. He should know better, like many others he has bought into the Arab lies and self victimization. He could make it his business to find out that 100 trucks daily leave Israel to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza. Most of it confiscated by the Hamas for their own use, and never reaching the people it is meant to help. Barney is like all the other “court Jews,” running scared and blaming the victims, instead of standing by his people. If Barney really cared, he would chastise the Hamas for creating a living hell for the innocent citizens of Gaza. Barney Frank, shame on you.
I am ashamed that Barney Frank is a Jew. He has never been a friend of the jews. He fits right in with the Obama Regime’s Anti-Israel clique. I am still waiting for Barney to be indicted for his crimes that caused the collapse of the mortgage market. After all he was the chief booster of those crooks at Fani and Freddie.
and as a jew, an openly gay person …… has no place
these “so called jews” are DEFINITLY the eirev rav.Washington is infested with all these “self hating jews” and hating anything jewish. They officially represent Jews and they are the jewish voice and spoksmen, RACHMANA LITZLAN. Just wait until all their views and action therof turns into full scale anti-semitism and blame for all that happens on account of them. Where is their pintele Yid.
Barney the Faigala has opened his mouth. Barney is partly responsible for the mortgage meltdown.
As a jew Franks is an embarassment to us all.
I feel confident saying that most Jewish people, observant or not, are ashamed of Barney Frank.
As a Jew, I’d like to tell Barney Frank that he’s done enough trouble for the USA. Let him stay away from Israel.
Oh, and btw, no one cares about what shames you, Mr. Frank, you have other things to worry about.
Bad boy Barney and his boy toy boyfriends running a prostitution ring from his apartment should be what he is ashamed of.
… And as a jew your hypocricy and self serving makes me ashamed that we have many such self serving individuals and hypocrits among us.
Mr Barney, you speak like a politician. Perhaps you are also in favor of rewarding AlQuaida for their terrorist work in America! Secondly,I don’t know you well but do you live like a Jew to be embarrased as a Jew?
Barney do yourself a favor convert to islam so you won’t feel ashamed anymore.
as a Jew, barney’s being openly homesexual, a liar and one of the most hated individuals in America, makes ME ashamed
as a jew barney franks pea size brain is an insult to the jewish people
as a jew i am embarresd of barneys actions
this guy is the biggest bozo to ever get elected to any office
Barney. I’m ashamed that you are a US Rep. Look over the footage and then u open ur big mouth. It was self defense all the way.
Hopefully his T 3 and T 4 cell count takes a hit and he want have to be ashmed anymore
When did Barney Frank ever do or say anything “as a Jew”? A rather queer comment on his part……..
At this moment Israel should say to the world where to go. You see headline calling for an end to the Israeli blocked of Gaza, it should be noted that Egypt also have a blockade against Gaza, why none is telling Egypt to open its border to Gaza?
I wonder what America would have done had a ship coming to its borders carrying terrorist sympathizers?
HE’S ashamed? That apikorusdik pervert? Let him take his “shame” & feel it for what HE does & how he lives.
As an Orthodox Jew (the kind that adheres to the Torah) I’m ashamed of self-hating Jews like Barnie Frank…
As a Jew? Let’s be frank Mr. Frank you’re just ashamed of being a Jew
Don’t worry Barney Boy, the Jewish nation is more ashamed of you as you are of them.
Once a small minded hypocrite always a small minded hypocrite
“Barney Frank (born March 31, 1940) is the United States House Representative for Massachusetts’s 4th congressional district since 1981. He is a member of the Democratic Party. In 1982, he won his first full term, and he has been re-elected ever since by wide margins.[3]
In 1987, he became the second openly gay member of the House of Representatives, and he has become one of the most prominent LGBT politicians in the United States.”
What do you expect from an abomination?
It seems he and the Neturei Karta have the same feelings about the raid. I wonder what kind of toeva’s they are doing too.
he should join the satmars in their protests, telling the world that zionism doesn’t represent judaism
As a Jew, I am ashamed of Barney Frank. Wait, let me be more accurate: As a human being, I am ashamed of Barney Frank.
Barney you make me sick to my stomach. You are one sick puppy.
Wondering if you really have a Jewish Mother after all.
We are all ashamed that you call yourself a Jew.
tell Barney to go live in Gaza and see how they treat homosexuals ….he would not last a day there barney…
barney is a living breathing walking talking chillul has-m…im ashamed that he calls himself a jew
barney if you would have been in the concentration camp you would probably been a great kapo …you self hating jew….im ashamed america has such a congress man your a disgrace to our country go ruin some other countries economy you stupid liberal
Barney:
MANY PEOPLE BLAME THE JEWS, AND PARTICUCLARLY YOU, FOR THE FINANCIAL CRISIS!
Dear 26 I think u got confused. Barney frank should convert to Islam, and see how long he survives as a gay man. But just becouse Barney is a shmeckaleh, and just becouse the satmar might be wrong in there aprouch to the tumeneh medinah, donsent say that the zienist represent yidishkiet, period they don’t and never have, even the mizrachi don’t think that, the Machlokes is how u deal with them, do you ignore them, do u try to influence them, do u shun them, do u be mekarev them, and last question is how much of there hashkufah do we acepet or reject, but they have never reprisented yidishkiet please don’t confuse that with the chilul hashem the neturi are making in your opinion, the only real debate should be is who’s chilul hashem is greater the medinah’s or the neturi. And our gedolim chouse neturi that’s why they went with the medinah, but the satmar gedolim chouse farkert that’s the gantzeh maseh In short we always choose the lesser evil
Why are you judging Israel BEFORE you know all the facts. Are you up for reelection this NOVEMBER
Has Barney the “Banking Queen” ever thought about how he embarrasswesh Community, and how many Jews are ashamed of him? The best thing this self hating Je can do is keep quiet.
Amazing – These nominally “Jewish” people are quick to invoke their heritage when used in context to undermine their pedigree. Barney’s Frank has gotten the better of him. Perhaps his partner is of Islamic faith????
Here we go with another antisemite who came in with the obama sweep. Ya obama you have a great staff of antisemites
Jew+non observant=liberal antisemite
How to Get Re-Elected (part 1): mimick the status quo. Barney Frank is mimicking the WarOnTerror (WOT) status quo. The WarOnTerror portrays western weakness and islamic strength-mania. The MEConflict portrays Arab victimhood and Israeli (western) transgression. The new anti-Israel anti-Semitism is actually device to promote the WarOnTerror (newcoldwar). There are so many on the “blame Israel” bandwagon because people are mimicking authority. Barney and everyone else know the armada/flotilla was another setup to blame Israel and de facto promote the WOT. It’s not like he’s going to get a job working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. He’s also going the extra mile by making his ‘flotilla’ statement into a Jewish issue. I wouldn’t be suprised when he runs unopposed for office and his books become bestsellers. On the serious side are the ‘activists’ who were desperate enough to attack soldiers. That tells me that people are starved for encouragement and some act-out; read the headlines, it’s happening at all levels of society. Should Barney be ashamed of being one of many many sycophants??
Barney frank does not read VIN (I assume) can someone post his office phone number , email etc.? So we can email him what ALL jews think of him.
self hating jew oich mir a jew i wish we can email him directly to tell him what he is
i am sure that if god forbid IRAN bombs ISRAEL and nothing is god forbid left Mr Frank will be instrumantel in bulding a big HOLACOST SHRINE in Washington to remmber the state of ISREAL……………………………………………………………………..
I would love to know what makes Barney Frank Jewish? He really doesn’t know what a Jew (Yid) is because adhering to our Torah laws makes you Jewish. Yes, he can be ashamed of who and what he is..by any mean, he’s definitely not a Jew!!
Barney Franks –DC Office: 202-225-5931
Newton: 617-332-3920
Taunton: 508-822-4796
New Bedford: 508-999-6462
Give this vaseline fagot an earfull.
I love that Senatory Barney. He is full of himself and his myopic views.
As I learned in school, the piples gets whats they deserves.
a groysen yisharkokachos
Barney franks phone number at his washington office 202 225-5931
Another democrat again at it,this time a powerful chairman.I’s becoming more and more of a trend.
Oraisa vkidshu brich hu V’Yisroal, it’s a three-way-bond to be considered and Jew. You can’t make up your own torah to be a Jew. You must follow the very Torah Hashem gave on Sinia and to what we said NASSA VENISHMA
Goggle true torah jews
Frank is only a Jew in technical terms. He has no shaichus to HKB”H and therefore his views mean NOTHING!
Wow 49 comments, all pure hate and stupidity. You all make me ashamed to be Jewish. And frum. These comments show a bunch of bitter unemployed losers who need to get a life and stop embarrassing the rest of us. You can disagree with Barney Frank- I do, but show some civility. Enough already!
Barney, I am sure all your ‘ Friends ‘ are ashamed of you .