Kerry: ‘I’m not going to be intimidated’

Secretary of State John Kerry came out swinging against his harshest Israeli critics on Wednesday.

“I’m not going to be intimidated and back down,” the Vietnam veteran told CNN. “I’ve been attacked before by people using real bullets, not words.”

The comments come as conservative members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have lambasted Kerry’s push for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon has said Kerry has a “messianic” obsession and Economy Minister Naftali Bennett accused him of threatening a boycott of Israel if peace talks fail.

“No one should distort what we are saying because they are opposed to the peace process,” Kerry told CNN.

“There are some people who don’t want any restraint on settlements whatsoever,” he said. “What is important is to look at the positive side of this which is that the majority of people in Israel and Palestine believe in peace.”

Kerry said the U.S. will always have Israel’s back and that he had a “100 percent” pro-Israel voting record in his 28 years in the Senate.

Please send tips and comments to Julian Pecquet: jpecquet@digital-stage.thehill.com

Follow us on Twitter: @TheHillGlobal and @JPecquetTheHill