Dressed casually in shorts and a sweatshirt for comfort during an interview with Israel Hayom at a Jerusalem hotel, Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania stands out not just physically but politically. On Thursday, during his second visit to Israel since the war began in October, he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem.
Despite battling significant health challenges, including a stroke and clinical depression, Fetterman has returned to political life with a determination to follow his convictions – even when they directly challenge Democratic party positions. He remains one of Israel's most passionate defenders in Congress, harshly criticizes Hamas, questions his party's approach to the Gaza conflict, and openly supports certain policies of President Donald Trump's administration that protect Jews and Israel.
Complete support for Israel and American Jews
But beyond all this, and despite all the challenges, political costs, and slander, Fetterman moves straight ahead, adhering to his beliefs and values. Even when "political correctness" in the Democratic party to which he belongs, and in the progressive circles in which he grew up, expects him to deviate from his path. Part of this approach is complete support for Israel and American Jews.
This firm position led him to disconnect from what is called the progressive lobby in the Senate. "Progressive at that time, about ten years ago, was to receive a living wage. Meaning, if you worked full-time, you would be able to live with dignity. And then it simply turned into something extreme. Part of which is antisemitism," he summarized.
Thus, while many in former President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' party distanced themselves from Israel, Fetterman took the opposite path of tremendous closeness. He participated in the massive pro-Israel rally in Washington immediately after the war broke out, was photographed numerous times wrapped in an Israeli flag, and this week visited Israel for the second time since the war began.
We meet at a hotel in Jerusalem, where American guests who recognize him enthusiastically applaud and ask for photos. For him too, Israel is moving to the point of tears. "We're leaving tonight but I would stay longer if I could," he said with moisture welling in his eyes.
"Courage is raising eight children after your husband died defending Israel"
What moved him here? Among others, he met two war widows and pilots who rescued wounded under fire. "As a senator, I don't have courage. I'm just doing my job," Fetterman said, his eyes welling with tears when describing his encounters with Israeli war widows and rescue pilots. "Courage is raising eight children after your husband died defending Israel. Courage is rescuing wounded soldiers. Courage is children being able to play in the same sacred space where their friends were murdered by a rocket on a soccer field," he explained while showing a photograph he took of the soccer field in Majdal Shams.
Fetterman made it clear that despite his unorthodox stance, he will not leave the Democratic party. "I'd make a pretty bad Republican," he said with characteristic directness, while still defending his willingness to support some of Trump's policies. "Not everything coming out of the White House is automatically bad," he insisted, urging his Democratic colleagues to be more objective in their assessments.
Fetterman doesn't mince words about his party's electoral defeat, attributing it partly to what he calls Democratic "zigzagging" on Israel. "My party tried to run between the raindrops (of Israel supporters and opponents) like in Michigan, which was a critical state for the election. They twisted themselves there and we lost Michigan. They handed Dearborn to Trump," he said. He specifically criticized Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, noting, "She refused to campaign for Harris, and now they're screaming about how terrible Trump is. But hey, you helped elect him. You handed him your hometown."
And so Fetterman continues on his independent path that fully supports Israel. "Now Israel has been forced to return to a kind of war in Gaza, and that's because Hamas doesn't want peace. Everyone understands that all they have left is to hold the hostages, these poor people in tunnels. And it's outrageous."
What also infuriates the senator no less is the term "kidnapped" that the American left has attached to a pro-Hamas student whom Trump ordered deported. "He's a Hamas supporter. He's not a citizen and he weakens my country. And here there are human beings who are still in tunnels while we're talking, and they've been there for more than 500 days. I tell my colleagues who support him, why aren't you saying a word about the hostages? He gets lawyers and they take him to court. These hostages don't have any of that. So that's my side and it's an easy choice for me."
Supports Trump's tough line
Regarding universities, Fetterman wholeheartedly supports the tough line Trump is leading against manifestations of antisemitism on campuses. "Politically it's very dangerous as a Democrat to support what President Trump did to punish Columbia University when he stopped a budget of $400 million to prevent these things. But I completely support it," he stated firmly. "Freedom of expression is not mob rule that sets up tent cities to create chaos and terrorize Jewish students."
According to investigations by the Senate Banking Committee, where Fetterman serves, "charitable organizations" funded significant portions of anti-Israel campus activities. "We thought it was crypto or something like that. But it's not. It was these kinds of charitable organizations," he revealed, supporting accountability measures against such groups.
While acknowledging President Biden's commitment to Israel, Fetterman admitted disagreeing with certain decisions, particularly the withholding of 2,000-pound bombs. "Israel needed it, and I supported Trump's decision to release them," he said.
The senator also criticized the Palestinian Authority and media coverage of the conflict: "Israel doesn't pay pensions to people who kill innocent civilians, which itself is disgusting. Israel doesn't aim weapons at civilians and doesn't intentionally harm them. This is also part of the distortions and lies of the media as if Israel is trying to starve Palestinians."
"The Iranians have a reputation and no capabilities"
Q: President Trump is now trying to reach a new nuclear deal. This will probably fail because the Iranians don't even want to talk.
"I've been very clear. I think we need to eliminate what remains of their nuclear facilities."
Q: You mean militarily?
"Yes, blow it up. I support that," he responded without hesitation. "And I think there is truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity to do it. After it has been proven that Iran doesn't have the capabilities to really prevent... I think they mainly have a reputation and no capabilities. And that's an amazing part of what happened. They (Israel) also eliminated the nuclear weapons laboratory. I don't think one can really conduct effective negotiations with this regime."
