Jewish Peace Group: "shameful to hide these misdeeds behind specious accusations of anti-Semitism"

Howard Dean: Iraqi PM an “Anti-Semite” for Criticizing Israel

"Meanwhile, leading Democrats continue to denounce the Iraqi Prime Minister over his recent criticism of Israel’s attack on Lebanon. Several Democratic lawmakers boycotted Maliki’s speech. The boycott came after Senate Democrats wrote Maliki Tuesday they questioned his leadership because of his stance on the Israeli attack.

"But the harshest criticism of Maliki came from Democratic Party chair Howard Dean. Speaking at a gathering of business leaders in Florida on Wednesday, Dean called Maliki “an anti-Semite.” Dean added: 'We don't need to spend $200 and $300 and $500 billion bringing democracy to Iraq to turn it over to people who believe that Israel doesn't have a right to defend itself and who refuse to condemn Hezbollah.'"

Jewish Peace Group Criticizes Howard Dean's Comments

"Dean’s comments are coming under criticism. In a statement released to Democracy Now, Mitchell Plitnick of the San Francisco-based Jewish Voice for Peace said: 'Israel opens itself up to legitimate criticism with its killing of so many civilians on top of 39 years of occupation of Palestinian lands.

"'It is shameful to hide these misdeeds behind specious accusations of anti-Semitism. Mr. Dean and others like him belittle centuries of Jewish suffering by using accusations of anti-Semitism to shield Israel from legitimate criticism.'”