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Sen. John Fetterman said the Democratic Party is grappling with a significant issue related to antisemitism, pointing to a series of recent controversies and public figures as evidence during a televised interview.

Speaking with CNN’s Kasie Hunt, the Pennsylvania Democrat did not hold back in his criticism of his own party, citing the case of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner as a troubling example.

“I mean, the guy that’s gonna win the primary in Maine has a Nazi tattoo on his chest. And that’s no problem for a lot of voters. That’s crazy,” Fetterman said.

Platner has said the tattoo dates back to 2007, when he was in his 20s serving in the Marine Corps and had it done while in Croatia. He later covered it with another tattoo and claimed he did not understand its meaning at the time. Fetterman, however, pointed to reports challenging that explanation.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2045253290896589044

“And now we know he knew what that was,” Fetterman said, referencing accounts that Platner had previously described the tattoo as his “Totenkopf.”

Fetterman, who has become one of the more outspoken pro-Israel voices among Democrats, also raised concerns about the party’s association with online commentator Hasan Piker.

“He absolutely is proud to cheer for Hamas, loves Hamas. Democrats are proud to stand with him and campaign with him,” Fetterman said.

The senator further cited past remarks attributed to Piker, including statements that “America deserved 9/11,” that Hamas is a “1,000 times better” than Israel, and “It doesn’t matter if rapes happened on October 7th.”

“We have a serious problem with my party. So if I have to be the last man standing in the Democratic Party, I’m proud to stand with Israel,” Fetterman said.

His comments come shortly after a Senate vote in which all but seven Democratic senators supported two resolutions introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders aimed at blocking a U.S. arms sale to Israel.

The interview also aired the same day that Kamala Harris, who is weighing a potential presidential run in 2028, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and accused him of drawing President Donald Trump into the conflict with Iran.

Additional controversy surfaced ahead of the broadcast when Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said in a separate CNN appearance that he sees no distinction between Israel’s government and Hamas, stating both are “evil.” When asked directly whether he considers Netanyahu a “war criminal,” El-Sayed responded, “Absolutely. When you conduct a genocide, you’re a war criminal.”

Fetterman has taken visible steps to demonstrate his support for Israel since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. He displayed posters of Israeli hostages in his Senate office and kept them up until all were accounted for.

During protests outside his office accusing Israel of genocide, Fetterman responded by going to the roof of the building and waving an Israeli flag.

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene circulated a social media post suggesting that the July 2024 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, may not have unfolded as officially described, raising questions about the response and subsequent investigation.

In her own accompanying remarks, Greene questioned why Trump himself has not taken a more aggressive role in uncovering details about the incident involving gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks. During the rally on July 13, 2024, Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop, and Trump was struck by a “bullet that pierced the upper part” of his right ear.

“Extremely important post worth the read and consideration,” Greene wrote. “Corey Comperatore’s family deserves to know the truth about Matthew Crooks and what happened in Butler on July 13, 2024.”

“President Trump, of all people, should be leading the charge,” Greene added. “Why isn’t he? That’s the question.”

The message Greene amplified originated from Trisha Hope, who identified herself as “a long time Trump supporter” and a national delegate. In her post, Hope recounted attending the Republican National Convention and listening to Trump describe the shooting.

“At the convention of course there was massive concern for President Trump the consensus was it was divine intervention that saved Trump and we were all incredibly grateful,” Hope wrote. “On the night Trump spoke, he had the ear patch on and many in the crowd did also. As Trump begin to speak, he started with this: ‘So many people have asked me what happened. Tell us what happened, please. And therefore, I will tell you exactly what happened, and you’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s actually too painful to tell.’”

Hope said the way Trump introduced the topic struck her as unusual and raised doubts in her mind.

The lady continued to state that her “first thought was how odd for him to begin this way,” adding that it was her “first red flag.” She described this as being “completely out of character” for Trump.

She went on to question whether the president’s remarks were intended to limit further discussion about the attack.

“When people tell a lie, certainly a big one it is tough to keep all the details straight and doing so is an effort,” the lady continued in her post. “In my opinion Trump made that statement to stop any further conversation about what happened. He gave us his official story, would only do it once and that was the end of it.”

The post also raised concerns about the conduct of the Secret Service following the shooting, questioning personnel decisions and the handling of the situation.

“Following the inauguration, I found it odd that Trump wasn’t going aggressively after those who allowed this to happen. He seemed to behave like it was no big deal.

“His Secret Service detail failed him massively, allowed him to be shot, and they allowed that perfectly timed photo op to take place.

“Instead of his SS detail being terminated as they should have been, Trump made the gentleman in the white shirt the HEAD of the Secret Service on January 22, 2025. Instead of losing his job Sean Curran was given a massive promotion.

“Now, I want you to look critically at this photo. They allowed President Trump to stand up, exposing multiple potential kill shots, as the flag is gently lowered. Interesting that the other SS agents lower their heads as the perfectly time ICONIC photo is taken. Honestly, it couldn’t have been scripted better if were to have been done in a studio.”

The Butler rally shooting resulted in the death of Corey Comperatore, a former Pennsylvania fire chief, who was killed while shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire.

Following the incident, then–Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced intense scrutiny over security lapses during the event. She ultimately stepped down from her role later that month.

{Matzav.com}

Turkey’s foreign minister sharply criticized Israel over the weekend, accusing it of using security concerns as a cover for territorial expansion, in remarks that reflect worsening tensions between the two countries.

Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the Mediterranean resort city, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan alleged that Israel is pursuing broader ambitions beyond self-defense.

“Israel is not after its own security. Israel is after more land,” Fidan charged, adding, “Security is being used by the Netanyahu government as an excuse to occupy more land.”

Addressing a panel in English, Fidan argued that Israel has misrepresented its actions on the world stage.

“It has become very clear, especially in recent years, that it is more than that,” he said.

He went on to claim that Israel’s activities—from Gaza, Judea and Samaria, and eastern Yerushalayim, to areas near Lebanon and Syria—reflect a pattern of continued expansion.

“I think this has to stop,” Fidan said.

“Israel has to know that the only way to live peacefully in the region is to let other countries enjoy their own security, territorial integrity and freedom, and not to use power against them,” he added.

Relations between Turkey and Israel had been improving prior to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, but have since deteriorated, with Turkish officials—particularly President Recep Tayyip Erdogan—repeatedly condemning Israeli actions.

In March of last year, Erdogan labeled Israel a “terror state” following Israeli strikes on Hamas-linked targets in Gaza.

Later, he described the government of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu as a major destabilizing force in the Middle East.

In April 2024, Erdogan hosted then-Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul, months before Haniyeh was later killed in an Israeli operation.

Following that meeting, Erdogan emphasized the importance of unity among Palestinian factions, saying it was “vital” and adding, “The strongest response to Israel and the path to victory lie in unity and integrity.”

In subsequent weeks, Erdogan stated that over 1,000 Hamas members were receiving medical care in Turkish hospitals and objected to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis referring to Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Tensions escalated further last week when Istanbul prosecutors filed a sweeping indictment against 35 senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, over the Israeli navy’s interception of the “Sumud” flotilla headed to Gaza in October.

The charges carry the possibility of severe penalties, including life sentences and additional cumulative prison terms totaling thousands of years.

Israel responded forcefully, with Defense Minister Yisroel Katz condemning the move and directing harsh criticism at Erdogan.

“Turkish President Erdogan, who did not respond to missile fire from Iran into Turkish territory and was revealed as a paper tiger, is fleeing to the realms of antisemitism and declaring field trials in Turkey against Israel’s political and military leadership,” Katz said.

He added, “What an absurdity. The Muslim Brotherhood man, who massacred Kurds, is accusing Israel of genocide for defending itself against his Hamas partners.”

“Israel will continue to defend itself with strength and determination – and he had better sit quietly and shut up.”

{Matzav.com}

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of religious issues, saying the president lacks understanding of faith and describing recent remarks about Pope Leo as inappropriate.

Appearing Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Christie also took aim at Vice President JD Vance, suggesting his alignment with Trump on religious matters could carry political consequences.

Christie said, “This vice president, who is, you know, now a Catholic convert, early on in your Catholicism, taking on the pope probably isn’t the greatest thing in the world. But, you know, JD Vance is following, as he always does the lead of Donald Trump. He cannot get out from Donald Trump’s back. He cannot ever do anything that isn’t completely 110 percent supportive of what Trump says. But here’s the problem, he’s leading himself to a real, real political problem for himself. Donald Trump knows about as much about the Catholic Church as my phone does.”

He continued his criticism of the president’s familiarity with religion more broadly.

He continued, “This is a guy who knows nothing about religion, has no religious basis at all. Ramesh and I were speaking in the green room about the time when they asked him about which one he preferred, the New Testament or the Old Testament. He goes, well, I like them both. I like them both. You know, this is a guy who’s a fake. He’s a phony. And JD I have a little advice for you this morning, don’t be following a phony on issues of religion and taking on Pope Leo. The other complication here, Jon, is, this is the first American pope. So, American Catholics not only follow him as Catholics, but they have a great pride of ownership in this pope. And so it’s personal on top of being theological.”

Christie said the situation could have lasting political ramifications, particularly among Catholic voters.

He added, “And so, I think this is a real problem politically for them. Catholics are not going to forget that this president, and my party’s leadership, has taken on Pope Leo in a really, really gross way.”