To the editor:
Congressman John Tierney’s Israel position paper and his comments during the last debate with Richard Tisei caused me much concern. After reviewing his record on the many bipartisan congressional pro-Israel initiatives that he did not support, it appears that there is much daylight between his actions and his words.
Some simple facts:
Starting in January 2010, Congressman Tierney was one of the Gaza 54. This was a letter signed by 54 Democrats to President Obama demanding that he put pressure on Israel to lift its naval blockade of Gaza. His participation in this letter was a cruel attack on Israel and highly injurious to the Jewish state’s ability to defend itself.
In June 2010, he did not sign the Poe/Peters bipartisan letter signed by 337 members of Congress and sent to Obama reiterating Israel’s right to defend itself. In April 2010, the Jackson/Pence bipartisan letter urging tougher sanctions on Iran was signed by 366 members of Congress and sent to the president. John Tierney did not sign this letter.
In March 2010, the Hoyer/Cantor bipartisan letter reaffirming the UN/Israel relationship was signed by 335 members of Congress and sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. John Tierney did not sign this letter.
In November 2009, House Resolution 867 condemning the Goldstone Report was signed by 344 members of Congress. John Tierney did not sign this letter.
In May 2009, the Hoyer/Cantor bipartisan letter reaffirming the Peace Process Principles was signed by 327 members of Congress and sent to the president. John Tierney did not sign on.
In July 2012, Congress sent a bipartisan letter spearheaded by Howard Berman and Ileana Ros-Lehtinten calling on the president to designate the National Iranian Oil Company and the National Iranian Tanker Company as supporters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. This would have allowed the U.S. to impose sanctions on foreign companies that continue to do business with NIOC and NITC. This was signed by 207 members of Congress. John Tierney was not on board.
Simply stated, John Tierney is not the supporter of Israel that he claims to be. Actions speak louder than words.
Jon J. Rosenthal
Marblehead
