Tuesday, the House overwhelmingly passed a resolution supporting Israel and affirming that it is not a racist or apartheid state. That’s such an obvious statement that it should go without saying, but Republicans pressed the issue because too many Democrats have been loudly saying the opposite lately. The Democrats’ anti-Semitism problem reared up again last weekend when “Progressive” Caucus chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal told some pro-Palestinian protesters, “I want you to know that we have been fighting to make it clear that Israel is a racist state.” Hit with a tsunami of criticism, she quickly reversed herself and even voted for the resolution, although whether that was out of sincerity or expediency, I’ll leave up to you.
The final vote on the resolution was about as bipartisan as we’re ever likely to see: 412-9. But again, whether all those Democrats really support Israel or just wanted to put distance between themselves and the anti-Semitic comments of their radical colleagues is an open question. Only 43 House Democrats signed onto a letter condemning Jayapal’s remarks before making the on-the-record show of voting for the resolution.
[Ten years ago, I’d have assumed that support for Israel was broadly bipartisan. Over the last few years, though, it has begun to look less sincere and more forced in the manner Huckabee describes. Democrats never formally rebuked Ilhan Omar for her anti-Semitic remarks, and they’ve done nothing with Rashida Tlaib either. Anti-Semitic eruptions are now becoming a regular event among House Democrats. — Ed]
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