It's been nearly two months since Hamas perpetrated an attack against Israel on October 7, resulting in the death of 1,200 Israelis. Hamas not only targeted men, women, and children--including babies and Holocaust survivors--they also engaged in rape, kidnapping and torture. Some of the hostages were only just recently released during a temporary pause in the fighting. While support for our ally in the Middle East might seem like a bipartisan issue, Democrats are increasingly finding themselves in disarray.
Polls continue to show that Democrats and young people are becoming increasingly less sympathetic towards Israel. The disarray has become even more pronounced recently, though.
As Spencer covered earlier on Tuesday, 105 House Democrats refused to support a resolution condemning antisemitism, which was sponsored by the House's two Jewish Republicans, Reps. David Kustoff of Tennessee and Max Miller of Ohio. Ninety-two Democrats voted "present," while 13 voted against it. The resolution still passed with the necessary two-thirds support.
We've seen such a move all along from the Squad and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), but there hasn't been a lack of support at this level before.
It was many Jewish Democrats who voted "present." AsThe Hill indicated beforehand:
Several prominent Jewish Democrats will withhold their support for a Republican-sponsored resolution condemning antisemitism, accusing GOP leaders of using the Hamas attack of Oct. 7 — and the spike in anti-Jewish hate crimes that followed — to divide Democrats for political ends.
Instead, Reps. Jerry Nadler (N.Y.), Jamie Raskin (Md.) and Dan Goldman (N.Y.) said they will vote “present” when the resolution hits the floor, and they’re urging their Democratic colleagues to do the same — “regardless of their substantive views” of the proposal.
...
In urging Democrats to vote “present” on the GOP resolution — which states anti-Zionism is antisemitism — Nadler, Raskin and Goldman are, in effect, seeking unity in neutrality while denying Republicans an opportunity to paint the entire Democratic Party as anti-Israel based on the votes of a handful of Israel critics.
Democrats had engaged in a game of politics last month when every Democratic Senator blocked aid to Israel, just as they had done before. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), one of the members to lead the effort to try to get the aid to pass, addressed how "upset" and "blindsided" Senate Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) were. The House had passed such a standalone aid bill weeks before, with bipartisan support.
There is now a battle on Capitol Hill over tying aid to Israel with aid to Ukraine and tying aid to Ukraine with securing the southern border. That aid might even be conditioned.
Weeks after he and fellow Democrats blocked such aid, Schumer took to the Senate floor for a speech in which he acknowledged that the rise of antisemitism was coming from the left.
Most of the Squad members voted against Tuesday's resolution outright, though Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) voted present. In addition to almost all of those Squad members, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) voted against it.
Jayapal downplayed the rapes that Hamas committed during her Sunday appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," as Matt has covered. While Jayapal received pushback from host Dana Bash, Larry argued that Bash engaged in "a sheepish line of questioning."
In response to Bash's point that "I have seen a lot of progressive women, generally speaking, that are quick to defend women's rights and speak out against using rape as a weapon of war, but downright silent on what we saw on October 7 and what might be happening inside Gaza right now to these hostages," Jayapal in part by claimed "I don't know that that's true."
Not only did Jayapal take a tone with Bash asking for follow-up, as she said "I already answered your question, Dana, I said it's horrific," with regards to rape, but she also touched upon criticizing Israel.
"But I think we have to remember that Israel is a democracy. That is why they are a strong ally of ours. And if they do not comply with international humanitarian law, they are bringing themselves to a place that makes it much more difficult strategically for them to be able to build the kinds of allies, to keep public opinion with them," Jayapal had offered, adding "and, frankly, morally, I think we cannot say that one war crime deserves another. That is not what international humanitarian law says."
Jayapal had another shocking response receiving pushback from Bash. "I think we have to be balanced about bringing in the outrages against Palestinians," the congresswoman claimed. When Bash pointed out "you don't see Israeli soldiers raping Palestinian women," Jayapal snapped that "I don't want this to be the hierarchy of oppressions."
"What the hell is WRONG with you?!"@LarryOConnor has some notes for CNN's Dana Bash for her sheepish line of questioning against "Squad Member" Rep. Pramila Jayapal who makes excuses for the rape of innocent women by Hamas. pic.twitter.com/EjYeeSLOEv
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 4, 2023
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about Jayapal's response during Monday's White House press briefing. She argued she could only speak for the president, and that "what Hamas did is absolutely reprehensible, full stop," saying the same about "the use of rape as being used as a weapon." Jean-Pierre had been asked specifically about Jayapal, though, with a reporter asking in part "was that an appropriate comment?"
When asked for follow-up, Jean-Pierre insisted "I just commented on it" and "I just laid out what we believe is unacceptable."
Karine Jean-Pierre refuses to condemn Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal for calling "to be balanced" in criticism of Hamas using rape as a weapon of war against innocent civilians pic.twitter.com/3Do0kYEN2Q
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 4, 2023
There have been those willing to call out Jayapal. Host Greg Gutfeld spent Monday's opening monlogue of Fox News' "Gutfeld!" going after Jayapal.
From the start, Gutfeld didn't hold back, offering "today's Democrats are as confused as Dylan Mulvaney's gynecologist, because what big name Dems are realizing now is that all the posturing about standing with the oppressed and speaking truth to power, the party is now officially in league with rapists, murders, and antisemites, and they didn't even have to join a prison gang."
The show included a clip of Jayapal's exchange with Bash, which left Gutfeld particularly animated, especially when he was reacting to Jayapal's line about "a hierarchy of oppressions."
"Huh? So, there you go, in just three words, 'hierarchy of oppresions,' she put mass rape in context," Gutfeld said in response. "'You know, it happens in war situations, it's just a tool, but hey, we need balance,'" he said in a clearly mocking tone.
"Balance. How is that even possible? Well, when your entire world view is broken down into victim or victimizer, and the crimes of the so-called victims are always excusable, then of course you wouldn't think a little thing like rape by Hamas terrorists is any big deal," Gutfeld continued.
As Gutfeld also offered, Jayapal "is a symbol of all the progressive women who aren't coming out against October 7, an event which should be categorized not as terror anymore, but as sexual atrocity. And that needs to be said. Those two words, 'sexual atrocity,' because that phrase puts these apologists on the spot, 'cause by just calling it terror, we already know the kneejerk response, 'ooh, well one person's terrorist is just another one's freedom fighter,'" he mimicked.
"But you can't do that with sexual atrocity," Gutfeld further laid out. "'Cause where in history is justification for that? It needs to be posed to everyone marching. We make it too easy on these ghouls! They need to come face-to-face with the reality of that event. It's a sexual atrocity and every moment spent on behalf of the perpetrators makes them an accomplice," he said, not only speaking about Jayapal, but about pro-Hamas agitators engaging in antisemitic activity, which he pointed out "has become a daily occurence around the country."
Gutfeld also went on to reference a Sepember 27, 2018 post from Jayapal, in which she urged voting against confirming now Justice Brett Kavanaugh, after Christine Blassey Ford came forward with claims of sexual assault. Jayapal insisted in her post that those claims were credible, though Gutfeld offered otherwise. "And yet now they downplay sexual atrocitiy with mountains of gruesome proof. I guess young Israeli women are not brave, compelling, or credible enough for her," he mockingly pointed out, referring to language used in Jayapal's post to refer to Blassey Ford.
"Anyone want to help Pramila find her moral compass? Oh here it is, it was stuck up her ass the whole time," he said to applause from the audience.
Democrats may also be in disarray at the state level. Texas Democrats have called for a ceasefire, with a press release on how "Texas State Democratic Executive Committee Unanimously Passes Israeli-Palestinian Resolution, Calls for a Humanitarian Ceasefire and Release of Hostages." A ceasefire benefits Hamas, which broke the ceasefire that was in place before October 7, as well as more recently. That has something to do with their failure to release female hostages, as White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan revealed on Monday.
The resoution is at odds with Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX), who is running to challenge Cruz next November. Allred has expressed support for Israel, and he was one of the 95 Democrats to vote in favor of the resolution above, but, as Townhall has covered, he's had a complicated past association with pro-Hamas groups and figures.
Allred's office did not return a request for comment from Townhall, but he did speak to local news outlet KXAN, indicating he did not agree to a ceasefire.
"I think this is a time for mature and solid leadership, and to me, what we have to do in terms of this conflict, is to continue to try and get humanitartian aid into Gaza, to try and protect civilians as much as possible, but understanding, this is a war of choice by Hamas, that they chose this war, they're still holding over 200 hostages right now, they could release those hostages, they could lay down their arms." He also reiterated that "Israel has every right to defend itself," though he mentioned "they have to do that within the context of the laws of war."
Allred made clear "no I am not" when asked "you are not calling for a ceasefire at this time?"
.@ColinAllredTX draws a contrast with the Texas Democratic Party, not calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
— Ryan Chandler (@RyanChandlerTV) December 4, 2023
"(We have to) continue to try and get humanitarian aid into Gaza to try and protect civilians... but understanding, this is a war of choice by Hamas." pic.twitter.com/oTAZ3qpXdZ
Views on Israel, specifically that he's being regarded as too pro-Israel, could cost President Joe Biden his bid for reelection. It's somewhat ironic, given that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Vice President Kamala Harris have urged Israel to show restraint.
Muslim-American voters and groups have been leading a "revolt" against Biden for not addressing "both sides" enough when it comes to Israelis and Palestinians. Such discontent has come from key swing states, such as Michigan, where Biden won narrowly in 2020, and Donald Trump won by even more narrow margins in 2016.
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