On Tuesday night, the House voted 412-1-1 on "Reaffirming the State of Israel's right to exist." The resolution was offered by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY). It also specifically "(1) recognizes that denying Israel's right to exist is a form of antisemitism; (2) rejects calls for Israel's destruction; and (3) condemns the Hamas-led attack on Israel."
Tonight, in passing my House Resolution 888 by a margin of 412 to 1, Congress reaffirmed our support for the state of Israel, their right to exist, and the right of the Jewish people to live peacefully in their native land. https://t.co/s3qtdXLteT
— Congressman Mike Lawler (@RepMikeLawler) November 29, 2023
From the House floor, Lawler offered that "everyone has the right to say what they want about a foreign government, to say what they want about war. But they don't have the right to delitigitmize the very existence of the Jewish state to justify terror." He reminded how Israel was founded 75 years ago, "to reestablish the native homeland of the Jewish people," pointing to how they have been persecuted for centuries, including and especially during the Holocaust.
Speaking of the terrorist attacks Hamas perpetrated against Israel on October 7, Lawler also shared that "this most recent genocide provides new urgency to restablish the Jewish homeland, where the Jewish people were displaced and we wanted to create a homeland where they weren't a vulnerable minority, where they could freely practice their faith, and where something like the Holocaust could never happen again."
Lawler reminded that the murder of 1,200 Israelis was "the largest slaughtering of Jews since the Holocaust." It was also the bloodiest day in Israel's history.
"And yet, still today, many Jews view Israel as the safest place for them to live. Even as rockets, missiles come from all sides. Denying Israel's right to exist is denying the Jewish people the right to self-determination, it's denying the Jewish people's hisortic ties to the land, it's justifying war crimes against babies, and let's call it what it is. It's antisemitic," Lawler declared as he urged his colleagues to support the resolution.
My resolution H. Res 888 is simple and straightforward - Israel has a right to exist. I was pleased to see this resolution pass the House tonight with broad bipartisan support. pic.twitter.com/f9WfPC3dF2
— Congressman Mike Lawler (@RepMikeLawler) November 29, 2023
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) voted against the resolution, while Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) voted present. Ten Democrats and 11 Republicans did not vote. Those 10 Democrats were Reps. Sanford Bishop (GA), Cori Bush (D-MO), Dwight Evans (PA), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), Barbara Lee (CA), Susie Lee (NV), Nancy Pelosi (CA), Dean Phillips (MN), Eric Swalwell (CA), and Marc Veasey (TX).
Those Republicans not voting included Reps. Ken Buck (CO), Scott DesJarlais (TN), Matt Gaetz (FL), Mike Kelly (PA), Kevin McCarthy (CA), Patrick McHenry (NC), Troy Nehls (TX), Bill Posey (FL), Austin Scott (GA), Michelle Steel (CA), and Randy Weber (TX).
This makes for yet another pro-Israel resolution that Bush has not been present to vote on, after she was also absent for the House's vote on Rep. Haley Stevens' (D-MI) resolution, "Calling on Hamas to immediately release hostages taken during October 2023 attack on Israel." The vote was 414-0, with Massie and Tlaib both voting in favor of the resolution. Bush has voted against other pro-Israel resolutions since the October 7 attack as well.
I will stop until every man, woman, and child is home.
— Rep. Haley Stevens (@RepHaleyStevens) November 29, 2023
Read the full text of H.Res 793 here: pic.twitter.com/90pkjBg7j0
"Massie" was trending over X on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning for being the lone vote against the resolution. As he has done with his other "no" votes against resolutions to do with supporting Israel, the congressman explained his vote with a post from his account. The post indicated he took issue with how the resolution "equates anti-Zionism with antisemitism."
I agree with the title “Reaffirming the State of Israel’s Right to Exist” and much of the language, but I’m voting No on the resolution because it equates anti-Zionism with antisemitism. Antisemitism is deplorable, but expanding it to include criticism of Israel is not helpful. pic.twitter.com/YWBDKDCGZB
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) November 29, 2023
Tlaib also took to X, though to address her vote on releasing hostages, in which she equated the release of kidnapped women and children–including those who had been injured–with detained criminals she described as "Palestinian political prisoners."
Just as she has done many times before, including before she was censured earlier this month, Tlaib accused her colleagues of not caring for Palestinian lives.
"I support the release of Israeli civilians and ask my colleagues to demand the same for Palestinian civilians being held by Israeli forces without charge or trial. Their failure to do so demonstrates their refusal to view Palestinians as equal human beings who deserve the same rights, freedom, and human dignity," her statement concluded with.
My statement calling for the release of all hostages and Palestinian political prisoners. pic.twitter.com/VtHYFiZpit
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) November 29, 2023
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