If Congresswoman Katherine Clark Doesn't Believe Israel is Committing Genocide, Then Why Doesn't She Say So?

 

Last week, Massachusetts Democratic Congresswoman Katherine Clark raised eyebrows when she became the highest-ranking Democrat in the country to accuse Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. 

Clark used the term when confronted by pro-Hamas supporters last Thursday while she was speaking at Friends Group, a Quaker organization here in Cambridge. Clark reportedly commented:

We each have to continue to have an open heart about how ... how we take action to in time to make a difference. Whether that is stopping the starvation and genocide and destruction of Gaza, or whether that means we are working together to stop the redistricting that is going on, taking away the vote from people.

Clark's comments are significant because she is second ranking Democrat in House of Representatives behind only House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. For me they have an added significance because she happens to be my Congresswoman. 

But it would appear, Clark is trying to walk back her comments. The problem though is that she is letting someone else do the walking namely New Jersey Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer, who is Jewish. Gottheimer recently made an unsuccessful bid to win his party's nomination in this fall's gubernatorial race. NJ Democrats gave the nomination to his fellow congressional colleague Mikie Sherrill. 

For his part, Gottheimer said that Clark “made clear to me that she does not believe Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide.” 

That's all well and good. But why can't Clark tell us that on her own? Why does she need another member of Congress to walk back her words? Is she trying to have a Jewish Democrat give her cover while trying not to alienate pro-Hamas voters here in the People's Republic of Cambridge?

Only Katherine Clark can say whether she believes Israel isn't committing genocide. If that is the case, then she needs to explain why she saw fit to use the word to cast aspersions against Israel. 

Yet somehow, I don't Clark will be very forthcoming. In which case, she will not have my vote in next year's mid-terms.