Jackson Apologizes for Generalization, Maintains Gaza View

Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson apologized Wednesday for generalizing about Jewish Mainers’ views of the war in Gaza, while maintaining his belief that Israel’s military campaign there constitutes genocide. His remarks and apology were made in the final weeks of his campaign against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. In a statement, Jackson said he had misspoken when he suggested Jewish residents opposed the genocide label because of the Holocaust. He said Jewish Mainers hold a range of views and acknowledged that the term carries particular weight for many Jewish families because six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Jackson said his generalization did not reflect what he meant. He did not retract his assessment of the war. Jackson said he believes what is happening in Gaza is genocide, a characterization reported as his view rather than an independent legal determination. Israel denies genocide allegations. The supplied accounts do not resolve the legal question. Jackson made the original comments in a local television interview posted Tuesday.