Cruz: Kerry ‘utterly unfit’ for office following Israel comments

The Hill ^ | 10/16/15 | Julian Hattem

[Isara]

Sen. Ted Cruz wants Secretary of State John Kerry to step down if he does not disavow comments claiming Israelis have some responsibility for the recent rash of violence in their country.

Kerry and his top advisors “have proven themselves utterly unfit for the positions they hold,” the Texas Republican and presidential candidate said in a statement on Thursday evening.

Cruz has previously called for Kerry to resign for prior comments on Israel but now is also warning that his top spokesman John Kirby should prepare to step down as well.

“Mr. Kirby should immediately retract his offensive assertion that Israel is ‘guilty of acts of terror’ or resign,” Cruz said “and Sec. Kerry should immediately disavow these remarks or resign.”

Cruz’s rebuke comes in response to the State Department’s claim this week that Israeli Jewish citizens and leaders bear some responsibility amid an explosive uptick in violence this month.

On Tuesday, Kerry said that the Obama administration condemned “terrorist” stabbings of “innocent Israelis” just as equally as “settler violence” committed by Israelis against Palestinians.

On Wednesday, Kirby called the stabbing of four Arab men by a 17-year-old Israeli in the southern city of Dimona an “act of terrorism.” The stabbing was believed to be a revenge attack following a string of clashes and incidents targeting Israelis.

“I would say certainly individuals on both sides of this divide are — have proven capable of and in our view guilty of acts of terror,” Kirby said.

During the past month, eight Israelis have been killed in attacks across the country, much of them stabbings. Meanwhile, 31 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and stone-throwers, including 14 alleged attackers. The rash of violence has shocked observers and led to fears about a third Intifada, or uprising.

The Obama administration has repeatedly called stabbings of Israeli Jews acts of terror.

Cruz has long been a critic of Kerry and the Obama administration’s position towards Israel.

“The Obama Administration is the most hostile we have seen towards the nation of Israel in our nation’s history,” he said on Thursday. “In the last few days, this obsessive antagonism has been on full display.

“There is no moral equivalence here between the savagery of the Palestinian terrorists and the innocent Israelis they are trying to murder.”

Cruz first called for Kerry to resign last year, after Kerry warned that Israel could turn into an “apartheid state” if it continued on its present course.

[samtheman]

Yes. Good for Cruz.

[faithhopecharity]

America used to stand for good moral principles

yes, we were never perfect but we visibly and meaningfully stood for what’s right, most of the time anyway

I’m sick and tired of this administration turning America’s government into an IslamoNazi Caliphate Promotional Board

(while undermining any and all good, decent moral principles both at home and abroad)

these people are enemy, dangerous, and/or just seriously SICKO

and with everything else they’re dragging into the gutter, our honor as a people is, unfortunately, very much included

[SandRat]

Ted, many of us have known that for a long time.

[dp0622]

you read it wrong man. i was saying cruz was off by 40 years. I love Cruz :)

[epow]

"when they have every right to be smash mouth".

Absolutely! The muslims are only in Israel because their Arab brothers want the Israelis to have to either kill them or allow them to kill Israelis, preferably the first option because then Israel gets all the blame.

And of course the world is always looking for an excuse to blame Israel for whatever violence takes place within it's borders. Therefore the muslims are advantaged either way. If the Israelis justifiably fight back they're blamed for killing "innocent" Arabs, and if they don't fight back their own people are killed and they get blamed anyway.

Fortunately for the Israelis, Bibi has the guts to do what's best for his country, a concept that hasn't been seen in the White House since Reagan left the back door open and let in the gutless bunch we've been saddled with ever since.

[LeoWindhorse]

Arrest Kerry ! and his boss.....

Guantanamo awaits

[hadaclueonce]

you read it wrong man. i was saying cruz was off by 40 years. I love Cruz :)

Point made and posted. It will be a long battle until the Primary, I welcome you to the fight.

[dp0622]

:)

Cruz is still my number one. But i would pull lever for the Donald.

will see how close things are at voting time.

[American Constitutionalist]

Unfit for the right side that is.

But very fit to work for the commies..