When Senator Chris Murphy invited his Connecticut constituents to a hike up East Rock Park this morning, he did not expect to be met by activists from the Middle East Crisis Committee and Jewish Voice for Peace. The activists had gathered to express outrage at Murphy’s support for Israel’s ongoing massacre of over 300 Gazans. Captured on video, Senator Murphy denied knowledge of the Senate’s recent Resolution 498–a greenlight for Israel’s war–despite the fact that Murphy himself co-sponsored it.

“I was staggered to hear Murphy deny support for a bill that he co-sponosred,” said Stan Heller of the Middle East Crisis Committee.

The resolution, unanimously passed by the Senate on Thursday, voiced “support for the State of Israel as it defends itself against unprovoked rocket attacks”. It did not include a single word condemning Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on Gazan civilians or the illegal blockade which has collectively punished Gazans since 2007. The resolution’s unanimous passage in the Senate reveals the Democrats and Republicans’ unwavering allegiance to Israel, even in the face of stunning war crimes.

Stan Heller and myself, whose voices heard in the video, are members of the Middle East Crisis Committee. About a third of the other hikers were members of Jewish Voice for Peace who decided to use the event to discuss Israel with Senator Murphy. When Murphy turned his back on us, Heller and I walked away.

More information on Senate Resolution 498 and the ongoing slaughter of Gaza may be found at the Middle East Crisis Committee’s website.