Republicans plan to push for a vote in support of Israel amidst Democratic discord.
House Republicans to Vote on Resolution Affirming Support for Israel
House Republicans are gearing up for a crucial vote on a resolution that solidifies congressional support for Israel. This comes just days after progressive leader Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) faced criticism for her now-retracted statement labeling Israel as a “racist state.”
Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) introduced the resolution on Monday evening, emphasizing unwavering support for Israel and asserting that it is ”not a racist or apartheid state.”
The GOP aims to push for a vote on Tuesday, putting Democrats in a position where they must take a stance on this divisive issue that has caused a rift within the party.
“Israel is the United States’ strongest partner in the Middle East,” stated Pfluger. “The repeated denigration of Israel by Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar is unacceptable and repugnant. I am proud to introduce this resolution, ensuring that all Americans know where their Representatives stand when it comes to supporting Israel and our Jewish communities.”
This resolution is a direct response to comments made by Rep. Jayapal during a panel discussion at the progressive Netroots Nation event over the weekend. She emphasized the need to ”fight to make it clear that Israel is a racist state.” These remarks sparked immediate backlash from both Republicans and Democrats, leading Jayapal to retract her statement later on.
Even House Democratic leaders issued a rare statement on Sunday night, rebuking Jayapal’s comments and reaffirming their commitment to maintaining a strong bipartisan support for Israel within Congress.
“Israel is not a racist state,” House Democratic leadership asserted. “The United States and Israel share a unique and special relationship based on our shared democratic values and strategic interests. As House Democratic leaders, we strongly support Israel’s right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people. We are also firmly committed to a robust two-state solution, where Israel and the Palestinian people can coexist peacefully and prosperously.”
Furthermore, a group of 43 House Democrats released a letter on Monday, condemning Jayapal’s comments as ”unacceptable.”
“Regardless of extremist views from any party-aligned groups, attempts to rewrite history and question the right of the Jewish State to exist, or our longstanding bipartisan relationship, will never succeed in Congress,” the group stated. “We remain dedicated to achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians, establishing two states that can peacefully coexist, prosper, and ensure mutual security. We will never allow anti-Zionist voices that fuel antisemitism to hijack the Democratic Party or our nation.”
The vote on the resolution is scheduled just one day before Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to address Congress in a joint session on Wednesday. This event has already caused division among liberal Democrats, with some announcing their intention to boycott. Notably, Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Cori Bush (D-MO), and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) have all stated that they will skip the event.
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time Democrats have boycotted a joint address of Congress featuring a foreign leader. The same group, along with Reps. Summer Lee (D-PA) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), also abstained from attending Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s joint address last month.
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