‘Why the deep hatred for Israel?’: Senator John Fetterman claims contempt for Israel equates to opposing the United States

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) claimed that holding contempt for Israel amounts to being “anti-American.” The senator made the comment during a recent conversation with conservative political commentator Sean Hannity on Fox News.

Mediaite points out that Fetterman has emerged as what has been described as Israel’s staunchest Democratic supporter in Congress. This comes despite increasing criticism from pundits and politicians directed at the Israeli government and its handling of the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

The remarks were made during Tuesday’s broadcast of Hannity, where the senator appeared alongside host Sean Hannity. Fetterman appeared to criticize fellow Democrats in the segment and also talked about his stance on Israel. During the segment, Hannity said that Democratic socialists within the party, including New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, hate Israel. The host then asked, “Why the deep hatred for Israel? Why?”

Fetterman’s standing among Democratic voters reportedly shifted after taking office

Fetterman responded by linking opposition to Israel with opposition to the United States, which is a separate geopolitical entity. “Because you have such contempt for Israel, I mean, of course, you’re also anti-American, and you’re anti-Western civilian– civilization,” the senator said.

“And you’re anti-capitalism and the American way of life. Now, I mean, they’re all socialists, of course. Now there’s communists and now Marxists and now they’re proud of this.” The remarks come amid broader developments in the region, including negotiations for a US–Iran peace deal.

“I’m proud to stand with Israel, whether I’m the last Democrat standing on this issue or not. I’m going to continue to support Israel, and I’m going to call out what I’m seeing across the country in these races. You have candidates who are actively trying to cram as much anti-Israel sentiment, and, in my view, anti-Semitism – into their platforms as possible,” he said. 

Fetterman was reportedly backed by the progressive wing of the party during his 2022 Senate run, and he has since run afoul of a wide cross-section of Democratic voters following his time in office. Reports have also described him as feeling isolated within his own party despite once being the last Democrat to flip a Republican Senate seat.

While Fetterman sees a pro-Israel position as essential to U.S. interests, recent polling suggests Israel’s popularity is declining among Americans. An April Pew Research Center survey found that 60% of U.S. adults hold an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 53% a year ago. A recent Politico poll also found growing negative sentiment toward the Middle Eastern country.