On Israel, Congressional Republicans and Democrats Are Far Apart | American Enterprise Institute
A major story these last few years has been disaffection with Israel. You can’t deny the polling, which shows that a growing number of Americans in both parties are critical of the Jewish state. According to a Pew survey released July 9, just 16 percent of Democrats and 51 percent of Republicans have a favorable view of the Israeli government, significantly smaller shares than before.
Mainstream media have covered declining GOP support with alacrity. “The Republican Party is starting to turn on Israel,” Axios declared last month. The Associated Press observed “signs of division among Republicans” on Israel. Journalists largely dislike Israel and want U.S. policy to be less supportive of it.
It’s true that some Republicans, especially younger ones, have soured on Israel. But this elides an important fact: Republican politicians remain adamantly pro-Israel. Rather, Democratic politicians are the ones who have turned on the Jewish state in large numbers. It is their party, not the Republican Party, that is divided on Israel.
A vote last Wednesday in the House of Representatives brought this into stark relief. It concerned an amendment by antisemitic gadfly Thomas Massie to terminate military assistance for Israel. Massie was the only Republican to vote for his amendment, compared to the 215 GOP representatives who opposed it. How about the Democrats? Their tally was 103 in favor and 98 against. 10 voted present. In other words, practically half of the Democratic Caucus voted to end all military aid to Israel. It was a vote for an abrupt cut-off of weapons, defensive and offensive alike, for a wartime ally, all done without coordination with its government.
These Democrats were a sundry bunch. Notable yes votes included Minority Whip Katherine Clark and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. More moderate lawmakers such as Jake Auchincloss, Seth Moulton, and Pat Ryan, all of whom have been described as pro-Israel, also supported the amendment. They joined leftists like Greg Casar, Parmila Jayapal, Ilhan Omar, Mark Pocan, and Jamie Raskin. Antipathy to Israel is no longer a confined to the radical fringes. It’s now a mainstream Democratic position.
View this vote amid the backdrop of recent polling, and the inescapable conclusion is that the Democratic Party is anti-Israel. Congressional Democrats are now in line with the base of their party, which views Israel with disfavor, if not disdain.
This is a lamentable development. The Democratic Party and Israel have a rich history. It was Harry Truman, after all, who recognized Israel 11 minutes after the country’s birth. For many decades thereafter, Democrats were staunch supporters of Israel. They admired its society and appreciated its benefits for American security. They backed Israel in its struggle against its foes and eagerly supplied it with weapons. Some Democrats still recognize Israel’s strategic value—former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer called Massie’s amendment “a vote against American security, against American interests, and against Americans’ safety.” Yet the 87-year-old Hoyer, who has been in the House since 1981, is out of step with his party. Forty-five years after he entered Congress, Democrats are increasingly captive to an ideology that demonizes Israelis for having the audacity to defend themselves against jihadists. It remains to be seen whether genuinely pro-Israel Democrats like John Fetterman, who sports a 19 percent approval rating among Pennsylvania Democrats, have a future in that party.
In contrast, Congressional Republicans are united behind Israel. They recognize that American and Israeli interests are usually aligned and that both countries have common foes. They commend Israel’s military capability, which is especially valuable given the decline of traditional allies like the United Kingdom. They despise Hamas and have no time for the performative folderol of the “pro-Palestinian” movement. It’s true that some Republicans, including yours truly, have called for ending Israel’s military aid appropriation. But it should be drawn down, not abruptly ended, so that the defense relationship can continue to flourish in the years ahead. Most Republicans, unlike most Democrats, understand that strong ties with Israel are a boon to American security.
Perhaps the GOP can win over the remaining pro-Israel Democrats. American Jews, 64 percent of whom have a mostly positive view of Israel, are one such constituency. Although many are very liberal and have been averse to the GOP, they may have qualms about the Democrats’ anti-Israel turn, especially as younger activists who are almost uniformly hostile to Israel take the party’s reins. Massie’s amendment is but one opportunity for Republicans to contrast themselves with Democrats on Israel.
Washington’s bipartisan pro-Israel consensus is no more. Both parties are making it clear where they stand today. On this and other issues, Republicans would do well not to follow the Democrats’ example.
