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[Video below.] Sen. Cory Booker sharply criticized President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu during an appearance Monday night on MSNBC’s “The Weeknight,” accusing both leaders of misleading the public about Iran and worsening the nuclear threat posed by the Islamic Republic.

Speaking during the program, the New Jersey Democrat argued that the current crisis involving Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile stems directly from the decision by Trump and Netanyahu to oppose and ultimately dismantle the Obama-era nuclear agreement.

“I want every American to know that Bibi and Donald Trump are liars, and this is why they are lying with the most insidious aims. The reason why there is still in country highly enriched nuclear material is because Bibi and Donald Trump, who were against the Obama nuclear deal, ripped it up. There was no highly enriched, these hundreds of pounds of highly enriched uranium before Donald Trump and Bibi decided to take us down this disastrous road. So yeah, there is still highly enriched material that’s because of them is in that country, because before that, we had to deal not just with them, with our European allies, China and Russia, to not allow them to get that nuclear material.”

Booker contended that Trump’s current approach to Iran has only intensified instability and left both the United States and Israel in a weaker position internationally and strategically.

“So he caused this problem. He’s like an arsonist that caused the problem and then says, well, trust me to actually get us out of it, which he has. It not only is a nuclear material there, but we as Americans are far worse off. These are two of the most disastrous leaders on the world stage that have made Israel the whole region and the United States less safe, not more.”

WATCH:

Sen. John Fetterman reacted Monday to the announcement that Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice David Wecht is leaving the Democratic Party over concerns about antisemitism, saying Democrats must directly address what he described as a growing problem within the party.

In a post on X, Fetterman referenced a Politico report detailing Wecht’s decision to change his voter registration to independent status. While making clear that he himself is remaining a Democrat, Fetterman said he understands why Wecht chose to leave the party.

“I know David and his legendary father, Cyril,” Fetterman said. “As I’ve affirmed, I’m not changing my party—but I fully understand David’s personal choice. The Democratic Party must confront its own rising antisemitism problem.”

Wecht explained in a public statement that he no longer identifies with any political party and sharply criticized what he sees as increasing tolerance of anti-Jewish hatred among Democratic activists and officials.

“From 1998 to 2001, years that preceded my judicial career, I served as Vice-Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. In the quarter century that has passed since then, the Democratic Party has changed,” Wecht shared. “Nazi tattoos, jihadist chants, intimidation and attacks at synagogues, and other hateful anti-Jewish invective and actions are minimized, ignored, and even coddled. Acquiescence to Jew-hatred is now disturbingly common among activists, leaders and even many elected officials in the Democratic Party.”

Wecht also reflected on the connection his family has to Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue, the site of the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history.

“Wecht also shared that he and his wife had been ‘married at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Congregation,’ and added that ‘twenty years later, in the very same sanctuary’ where they were married, ‘the worst massacre of Jews in American history’ took place.”

He noted that while the Tree of Life massacre was carried out by a right-wing extremist, antisemitism has increasingly spread on the political left as well.

“That terror came from the right,” Wecht continued. “Jew-hatred has always festered on the fringe of that sector. In the years that have followed, that same hatred has grown on the left. Increasingly, it has moved from the fringe to the mainstream.”

According to Politico, Wecht’s switch to independent registration is not expected to significantly alter the ideological makeup or balance of power on Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court.

Fetterman has repeatedly spoken publicly in recent months about antisemitism and Democratic attitudes toward Israel. During an appearance on CNN in April, he said that support for Israel has eroded significantly among Democrats.

“while he is ‘proud to stand with Israel,’ roughly 80 percent of Democrats ‘view Israel in a negative way.’”

In the same interview, Fetterman also criticized anti-Israel activist behavior and referenced reports concerning an individual he identified as Platner.

“You know, you have, like, Platner has a Nazi tattoo on his chest,” Fetterman said. “And now, it’s just released that he was praising and celebrating a video online where Hamas was beating and torturing Israeli soldiers to death.”

{Matzav.com}