Congressional Democrats are attempting to distance themselves from the occasion’s far-left House members who’ve taken an aggressive pro-Palestinian stance, highlighting the rising divide within the occasion over the Middle East battle.
More than a dozen House lawmakers, all however one among whom have been Democrats, didn’t assist a decision condemning Hamas’ lethal terror assault on Israel and reaffirming U.S. assist for the Jewish nation. That group included members of the far-left “Squad,” a few of whom have weathered intense criticism for anti-Israel sentiments.
“The collection of members that voted against the resolution are typically not supportive of anything related to Israel,” mentioned Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz, who’s Jewish. “It’s one thing to oppose Israel or any nation based on policy, but everyone should be against slaughter.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, admitted the “far-left fringe” of his occasion who’ve “reservations about supporting Israel,” however mentioned it was akin to the “extreme fringe” on the correct who oppose extra Ukraine help to fight Russia.
“But the main point here is there’s strong bipartisan support,” Mr. Blumenthal mentioned.
The House’s nonbinding decision cleared 412-10 this week, marking the primary legislative enterprise following the swearing-in of Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican. Nine Democrats and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky voted no. Another six Democrats voted “present.”
The same pro-Israel decision handed the Senate unanimously final week in a 98-0 vote.
Sen. Tim Kaine, Virginia Democrat, defended his anti-Israel colleagues’ proper to carry a minority view on the difficulty.
“We’re the United States Congress, and there’s no unanimity on a Mother’s Day resolution,” he mentioned. “This is a very tough and very emotional issue, so there’s some different points of view. I get it. But if you look at where the throw weight is, there is a significant bipartisan majority.”
The House decision condemned Hamas’ “brutal” and “barbaric” Oct. 7 terror assault that killed not less than 1,400 individuals in Israel and demanded the discharge of the estimated 220 hostages held by Hamas.
The House Democrats who voted in opposition to the decision have been Jamaal Bowman of New York, Cori Bush of Missouri, Andre Carson of Indiana, Al Green of Texas, Summer L. Lee of Pennsylvania, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Delia C. Ramiez of Illinois and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
The House Democrats who voted current have been Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Gregorio Casar of Texas, Jesus Garcia of Illinois, Joaquin Castro of Texas, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Nydia Velázquez of New York.
New York GOP Rep. Mike Lawler mentioned anybody who opposed the measure “should resign in disgrace.”
Michigan Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens, who co-chairs a congressional process pressure that aids in hostage conditions involving Americans, highlighted the broad U.S. assist for Israel reasonably than the few defectors in her occasion.
“My message to the American people is that 412 members of Congress support, in a bipartisan way, our great ally Israel,” she mentioned.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and former majority chief, mentioned there are “proper” issues about harmless Palestinians turning into collateral harm and getting used as human shields by Hamas. He argued there may be “universal, total unanimity among all members of Congress — and hopefully all people — that condemn the carnage that was visited by Hamas on innocent civilians,” together with amongst these with pro-Palestinian views.
Congress’ solely Palestinian-American, Ms. Tlaib of Michigan, is among the many Squad members who’ve stirred uproar over anti-Israel feedback. She has doubled down on condemning Israel for bombing a Gaza hospital regardless of proof corroborated by the U.S. and different nations that it was a missile from a Hamas-aligned Islamist group.
“I cannot uncritically accept Israel’s denials of responsibility as fact, especially in light of confirmation from the World Health Organization that Israel has bombed numerous medical facilities in Gaza and reports from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society of ongoing threats from the Israeli military to evacuate hospitals,” Ms. Tlaib mentioned. “Both the Israeli and United States governments have long, documented histories of misleading the public about wars and war crimes… and cannot clear themselves of responsibility without an independent international investigation.”
Ms. Tlaib is the topic of a censure decision from Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for selling “antisemitic activity, sympathizing with terrorist organizations and leading an insurrection” on the U.S. Capitol.
Ms. Tlaib was concerned in a pro-Palestinian demonstration final week that includes lots of of protesters who flooded the Cannon House Office Building and referred to as for a ceasefire.
Not all Democrats are attempting to distance themselves from their anti-Israel colleagues.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an unbiased who caucuses with Democrats and is aligned with the Squad, declined to remark concerning the anti-Israel sentiments. Mr. Sanders, who’s Jewish, as a substitute directed The Washington Times to a Senate flooring speech wherein he condemned Israel for civilian deaths from its counterattacks and advocated for a humanitarian pause in order that vital help similar to meals, water, gasoline and medical provides may attain Palestinians trapped within the Gaza Strip.
“Israel suffered a major attack and has, as do all other countries under similar circumstances, the absolute right to defend itself,” Mr. Sanders mentioned. “But having the right to defend your country against a terrorist attack and a terrorist organization like Hamas does not mean having the right to violate international law and wage indiscriminate warfare against innocent men, women and children in Gaza.”
• Alex Miller and Mallory Wilson contributed to this report.
