Washington – Barney Frank Backs Off From Israel Criticism

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    Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass.Washington – U.S. Rep. Barney Frank scrambled yesterday to backtrack from his criticisms of an Israeli raid on a pro-Palestinian flotilla that left nine dead – saying he never referred to those killed as “innocent.”

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    Frank, (D-Newton), came under fire from local Jewish groups after telling the Herald Tuesday he was “as a Jew … ashamed” of some Israeli actions and saying there should be a “genuinely impartial” inquiry into the raid, (as was reported here on VIN News). Yesterday, Frank said a probe by an Israeli-commissioned group is best.

    “The record of the United Nations with regard to Israel is a badly biased one and clearly no inquiry by the U.N. would have the credibility it ought to have,” Frank’s statement said.

    In his Tuesday meeting with Herald reporters and editors, when asked how the United States should respond to the raid, Frank said he needed to review the incident. He then 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.”

    Frank’s statement yesterday said he was not referring to the slain pro-Palestinian activists as “innocent,” but was referring to “the problems the American military has encountered in Afghanistan – and before that to a great extent Iraq,” an apparent reference to accidental killings of civilians by the U.S. military.

    Israeli officials have said their commandos acted in self-defense. Frank yesterday defended Israeli actions, saying, “I have since learned more about the incident and I note the Israeli report that violent force in fact (was) initiated by those whose boat was boarded – entirely appropriately in my judgment – by the Israeli Navy.”

    Frank’s latest statement highlights how explosive the incident has become for American politicians, said Boston University politics professor Thomas Whalen. “He’s a consummate politician – putting his finger to the wind and calibrating his response depending on public opinion. Frank has been very courageous on a number of issues, it’s disappointing he wasn’t clearer on this one.”

    President Obama has also issued politically neutral statements since Israeli Navy commandos boarded a six-ship flotilla early Monday as the pro-Palestinian activists moved to run Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the blockade yesterday amid mounting international criticism.


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    36 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Exactly how ‘courageous’ does a Democratic congressman from Boston have to be?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    I don’t back off my criticism of him. Barley Frank is a left wing loon, who had a lot to do with the financial mess like what he did to Fani and Fradi he should be held accountable.

    So what?
    So what?
    13 years ago

    Didn’t care when he condemned, don’t care that he retracted.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Barney Frank should go where he belongs and shut his big mouth

    The I am a Jew response
    The I am a Jew response
    13 years ago

    Lately in the liberal Jewish world this “I am a Jew response” has become all to prevalent. Last week I got the “I, myself, am Jewish as well and take great offense to your email below” argument. A few weeks ago I got the “I am a Jew, how dare you say that i don’t love Israel even as i vote for Obama and think his policies are good for Israel” argument! (The list goes on as I live in Florida and everyone is quick to point out how they are a Jew and how we offend them!)

    This has to to stop, it is time we start answering back.. as I wrote as a response to my first I am a Jew remark… “The I’m Jewish and I take offense in what you wrote is an old argument and extremely un-tasteful to those that are affected by this situation.”

    If we all start answering back, if we take the I am a Jew defense away we can stop what I call the “Emanuel Jews” (After Rahm Emanuel who uses the I am a Jew defense in order to sell out Israel and the rest of Klal Yisroel) from using the I am a Jew argument while throwing us all under the bus for their own personal gains.

    joey
    joey
    13 years ago

    barney is a dinosaur……..

    a shikerer yid
    a shikerer yid
    13 years ago

    to # 5 yours is the best comment I’ve seen in a while

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    I once heard that “I am a Jew” comment from Woody Allen when he was bashing Israel. Ugh!

    brooklyn mom
    brooklyn mom
    13 years ago

    too little too late Mr Frank–you hold no credibility at all. time for you to retire is way past due

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    I cant wait till november,I will vote republican down the line. We must defeat every democrat.

    barny frank
    barny frank
    13 years ago

    To#5 &#10 ; I first thought that # 5 is great. Now I retract #10 is better .

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Like a fat pig dancing on a soft boiled egg. Condemns Israel yesterday on the house floor and then sends out a dumb press release saying he didn’t mean what he meant that he said that he didn’t say what he wanted to mean and say, you know what I mean? Vote the bum out of office.

    Boston Jew
    Boston Jew
    13 years ago

    As a frum jew from Boston, I will do everything in my power to vote this Menuval out of office. The prevailing winds are against him. Unfortunately, most of the assimilated brainwashed jewish by birth only liberals from his district will likely still vote for him. Without Torah and Yiddishkeit, there is very little difference between our non frum brethern and the UMois Ha-Oilam

    barney BACKTRACK
    barney BACKTRACK
    13 years ago

    Barney Frank’s initial remarks didn’t make sense. He mouthed standard ‘Arab victimhood’ propaganda when the issue was violent activist antagonist sycophants and the blame Israel circus. I thought he was tired from a trip or overmedicated. (I didn’t read his original or backtrack statements in entirety because I know the official script repeated ad nauseum worldwide.) Furthermore I thought he may have been joking by doing a rendition of “I’m a Jew and ashamed of Jews.” He’s capable of cynical humor.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    The “I am a Jew” response clearly gets to you guys. It should. We are Jews, too, we liberal, anti-imperialist Jews. And our grandparents marched in socialist rallies and fought for workers’ rights. Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians is criminal. Many Israelis agree.