Dems struggle with anti-Semitism before Israeli President’s visit.

Democratic Leaders Rush to Combat Accusations of Anti-Semitism

Democratic leaders are⁣ rushing to combat accusations of anti-Semitism after​ a slew​ of‍ anti-Israel comments from members ⁢of⁢ the party ⁣raised the stakes on ‍a ‌planned⁤ Democratic boycott of⁢ Israeli president Isaac Herzog’s​ address to Congress.

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Progressive “Squad”⁤ Members Boycott‌ Herzog’s Address

At ⁤least four⁢ members ⁢of the‌ Democratic Party’s progressive “Squad”‍ announced ‍they would boycott Herzog’s address to Congress this ⁤Wednesday. The‌ group ⁢includes ‍Reps. Alexandria ⁣Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.), Jamaal ​Bowman (D., N.Y.), ​Cori ​Bush‌ (D.,⁤ Mo.), ⁤and Ilhan⁤ Omar (D., Minn.).⁣ Omar and fellow ⁣progressive Rep. Pramila ‍Jayapal (D., Wash.) drew ⁢widespread scrutiny over the ⁣weekend ‍for criticizing Israel, which Jayapal slammed‍ as a⁣ “racist state.”

Herzog’s visit comes days after President ‍Joe ⁣Biden denounced Israel’s governing coalition as “extremist.” Until⁢ Monday, ‍when Biden spoke ​to ⁢Israeli prime minister Benjamin‍ Netanyahu ⁤by phone and made plans⁤ to‍ meet with ⁣him in⁤ person, the​ two ⁢had ⁤not ⁤talked in ⁢months,‍ and Biden’s invitation to Herzog, who has been a ‌critic of Israeli ​judicial reforms backed by Netanyahu, was⁣ viewed as a ⁤rebuke. It was also a move​ that ⁢some ‍Jewish community leaders say ⁤has⁣ emboldened​ Israel-bashing ⁣within‌ the​ Democratic Party.

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“The Biden‌ administration has created an atmosphere ⁤that is ‍literally anti-Israel, that doesn’t respect‌ democracy,” former Democratic ⁤New York⁤ City ⁤councilman Dov ⁤Hikind told the Washington Free Beacon. “When the prime minister‍ is not invited ​to the White House, which is‌ a⁢ tradition going back decades and‍ decades and decades, what message ‌does that send? That gave a ⁤green light to these ‌[anti-Israel] radicals.”

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Speaking at the​ left-wing Netroots Nation⁢ conference Saturday, Omar called for voters ‍to elect ⁣to Congress “Palestinian people ⁣who have now ​experienced occupation and​ displacement for 75 years.”⁤ At the‍ same event, Jayapal,⁤ the ​chairwoman of​ the Congressional Progressive Caucus, ⁤said⁢ she ⁤was ​”fighting to make⁣ it clear that ⁢Israel​ is⁣ a racist state.”

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Democratic presidential ​candidate ‍Robert F.⁢ Kennedy⁢ Jr. ⁣was also accused of anti-Semitism over the weekend ⁣after he ⁣said there was ⁣”an argument that [COVID-19] is ethnically targeted” to have a⁢ greater impact‍ on white⁢ and black people ​and a lower impact on Chinese and Jewish people.

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The ⁤American Jewish ‌Committee said ⁣Kennedy’s claim “reflects ‍some of the most‌ anti-semitism-ahead-of-israeli-presidents-visit/” title=”Dems struggle with anti-Semitism before Israeli President’s visit.”>abhorrent‍ antisemitic conspiracy theories throughout⁣ history and contributes⁣ to today’s dangerous rise ‌of antisemitism.”

After facing⁣ backlash ⁣from Jewish‍ community leaders—who noted that her ⁤remarks​ fall⁢ under the International ⁢Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism—Jayapal⁢ tried to dial back‌ her ⁣comments slightly.‌ In ⁣a statement, ⁣she said she​ was referring⁣ to the “outright ⁢racist policies” of the Israeli government and does ⁣not believe that “the idea of Israel as a nation‌ is racist.”

But in her apology,⁢ Jayapal reiterated her‍ opposition to⁢ conservative Israeli leader ⁤Benjamin ‍Netanyahu, writing:​ “I‌ do, however, believe that Netanyahu’s extreme‌ right-wing ⁣government has engaged in discriminatory and outright racist policies and that there⁢ are extreme racists driving that policy within the leadership⁣ of the⁤ current government.”

The apology ⁤did not go nearly far⁤ enough for mainstream Jewish ⁤Democrats, who‍ are circulating a​ letter calling for the expulsion of “anti-Zionist voices” ⁤from ⁣the party, according ‌to a copy of the ​missive⁣ obtained Sunday evening ⁣by Axios.

“Israel is the legitimate ⁤homeland of the ⁢Jewish​ people and ​efforts ⁤to delegitimize‌ and demonize it ⁣are⁣ not only​ dangerous⁢ and‍ antisemitic, ‍but​ they also undermine ⁤America’s ⁤national ​security,” ‍the signatories‍ wrote. The letter stopped ⁢short⁢ of calling Jayapal’s⁢ statements anti-Semitic.

Biden has been ‍increasingly vocal with his criticism of Israel as well. In a July ⁢9‍ interview with ​CNN, he labeled ⁣Netanyahu’s ‍government “one ⁢of the most extremist” of all time, and⁣ called on the Israeli leader to ⁤”move toward moderation.” The White House⁤ also appeared to support⁣ anti-Netanyahu protests ⁣in‌ Israel last week, saying it ⁢”urge[s] authorities in‌ Israel to protect and respect the right of peaceful assembly”—a comment that the⁣ administration⁢ has ​not made about protests in ‍other countries, such as France, and which ⁢carries the​ implication that Netanyahu’s government is​ undemocratic.

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Biden⁤ reiterated these⁣ concerns in his Monday call ‌to ⁤Netanyahu, during which ‍he also‌ “expressed concern” ⁢about Israeli settlements, according to the White⁤ House.

Republicans have⁢ seized on Democrats’⁤ internecine conflict in ‍advance of Herzog’s trip, set to mark ‍75 years​ of‍ Israeli independence. Republican presidential⁢ hopefuls Mike Pence and Nikki Haley⁣ both condemned​ the boycott. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), ⁤who has repeatedly ⁣clashed⁢ with anti-Israel ⁢Democrats, told‌ reporters‍ on Friday that ⁢”anti-Semitism ⁢shouldn’t be anywhere, and especially shouldn’t be‌ inside Congress.”

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Hikind, a⁤ longtime Democratic politician in New‍ York, said‍ the increasing ⁣animosity against Israel from Biden ​and top Democratic leaders has ‍crossed the line—and pushed him⁢ to register as a Republican⁣ for the first time.

“That’s‍ not because ⁢things are perfect in the Republican Party, they’re not,”⁢ said⁤ Hikind. ⁤”But the Democratic Party, forget it, ⁢they’ve⁣ gone off a cliff.”