Senator John Kennedy repeatedly suggested a leading Arab American activist was a Hammas supporter. The Arab American activist testified Tuesday at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on hate crimes, and Senator John told her she should hide her “head in a bag”.
Maya Berry, the activist said repeatedly that she didn’t support Hamams and she was disappointed by the minuteslong exchange toward the end of a hearing called “A Threat to Justice Everywhere: Staming the Tide of Hate Crimes in America”.
At the beginning of the exchange, Kennedy asked, “You are the Executive Director of the Arab American Institute, are you not?” Berry replied that she was and agreed with Kennedy saying that she is a Democratic Activist.
Kennedy asked Berry whether she support Hammas, doesn’t she? Kennedy asked her referring to the militant group behind the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. The question prompted laughs from the audience.
Berry replied, “Senator, oddly enough” and added that she was going to say thank him for that question since it demonstrates the purpose of that day’s hearing. Then Kennedy cut her off and instead said that he needed a “yes” or “no” answer from her.
In reply, Berry said that Hammas is a foreign terrorist organization that she does not support. However, if Kennedy was asking the executive director of the Arab American Institute, then the question very much puts the focus on the issue of hate in the country.
Kennedy continued saying that he got Berry’s answer and he appreciated it. Then, he again asked her whether she supported Hezbollah, too. Kennedy continued referring to the Iran-backed militant group.
She responded, “I find this line of questioning extraordinarily disappointing”, and Kennedy replied, “Is that a no?”
Berry said that she doesn’t support violence, whether it’s Hezbollah or Hamas, or any other entity that invokes it.
Kennedy replied that she just couldn’t bring herself to say no, does he can? Again, Kennedy said that she just couldn’t do that.
Kennedy then asked her whether she supported Iran and their hatred of Jews. Then she again replied no.
He then noted the activist’s previous criticism of Congress for cutting funding to a United Nations Agency. The Agency is known as UNWRA, which is doing relief work for Palestinian refugees, and allegations a dozen of its 30,000 workers were in the October 7 attack. The workers were also fired.
Berry replied that she stands by her comments and she supports UNWRA’s relief work.
Kennedy pressed, “Let me ask one more time, you support Hamas, don’t you?”
Again she replied that she doesn’t support Hamas.