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U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin Calls For State Department Spokesman John Kirby To Step Down

authorAlisha Steindecker on Oct 15, 2015

U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin did not waste any time after the United States accused Israel of terrorism this week.

On Thursday, he called for the replacement of State Department Spokesman John Kirby, who, in response to reporters on Wednesday, said both the Israelis and Palestinians are, in fact, guilty of terrorist acts.

In recent weeks, seven Israeli Jews have been stabbed to death after Palestinians, many of them young, have taken to the streets with sharp objects in tow. The Israeli authorities have not hesitated to condemn the attacks that have killed innocent civilians, and they have often used forceful methods to do so.

It is absolutely disgusting and shameful that the Obama Administration not only refuses to stand strong with our ally in Israel, but actually has the audacity to claim that the Israelis are guilty of terrorism," Mr. Zeldin said in a release on Thursday.

The terrorist acts have struck a personal chord for him in that the very streets where Israelis are being murdered are the same streets he walked just two months ago, along with 25 other U.S. Congressmen.

"I'm praying for peace and strength for Israelis to overcome this new challenge. Israel is an important and strategic ally of the United States. The bond should be made stronger, not weaker, from America's response," Mr. Zeldin said.

"We must not turn a blind eye towards the reality that the Palestinian Authority is becoming increasingly controlled by Hamas, a terror group that will not rest until Israel is wiped off the map."

Mr. Zeldin said that Secretary of State John Kerry should also be replaced if he does not discipline Mr. Kirby for his comments.

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