We at the American Friends of Likud (AFL) are shocked and appalled by the statement of Leon Panetta, former U.S. secretary of defense and director of the CIA, in which he characterized Israel’s attack on the beepers and walked-talkies belonging to Hezbollah as a “form of terrorism.”
At the outset, we note Mr. Panetta has no portfolio in the Biden-Harris administration, which renders his remarks gratuitous. One can only speculate as to his motives for making this statement, and whether he was asked to be the unofficial voice of U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Even more importantly, Mr. Panetta’s attack on Israel was factually false. The only persons who had possession of the beepers and walkie-talkies were Hezbollah terrorists. It is impossible to conceive of a more targeted military tactic that Israel could have employed.
Beyond being false, Mr. Panetta’s statement revealed a moral bankruptcy. He defamed Israel, the United States’ staunchest ally, and undermined the Jewish state’s right to defend itself after 11 months of terror from Hezbollah. By betraying Israel, Mr. Panetta has placed a stain on his legacy as a former public servant of the United States.
We wish Mr. Panetta a happy and healthy retirement and fervently hope he refrains from making further misguided and damaging public statements in the future.
