[ April 23, 2024 ]
It’s not hyperbole to call the Democrats the party of jihad and Jew-hatred. Racist haters have seized control of this country.
From the story: House Democrats rejected a Republican push on Tuesday to consider legislation that would apply sanctions on Hamas militants amid an escalating military conflict with Israel. Democrats blocked a bid to bring the Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act up for consideration in a 217-209 vote along party lines. The bill, introduced by Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., would impose sanctions on foreign entities known to have provided financial assistance to Hamas, among other measures (Fox News). Meanwhile, Biden appeared to get in a heated discussion with congresswoman Rashida Tlaib over Israel (Daily Wire). The New York Times claims Biden was said to “sharpen his tone with Netanyahu” in private (NY Times). The Biden administration said Trump didn’t do “anything constructive” to bring peace to the Middle East, ignoring significant achievements (National Review). Dr. Albert Mohler looks at Israel’s history and current difficult position (Briefing).
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House Democrats overwhelmingly voted on Tuesday afternoon against applying sanctions on Hamas, the Iranian-backed terror group that has fired thousands of missiles at Israel during the past two weeks amid a deepening regional conflict.
In a 217-209 vote, Democrats rejected a bid by House Republicans to hold a vote on Hamas sanctions legislation authored by Rep. Brian Mast (R., Fla.). The bill was supported by every House Democrat in the last Congress, but stalled this time around when Democratic members refused to allow the bill to be considered by the legislative body. Republicans wanted to pass the legislation to further express support for Israel as it fights the terror group.
As the conflict in Israel continues into its second week, many Democratic lawmakers on the party’s left flank have publicly criticized the Jewish state, with some describing its defensive operations as terrorist acts. Progressive lawmakers such as Reps. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.), and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D., N.Y.) have called for cutting U.S. military aid to Israel and sanctioning the country. They have not condemned Hamas’s strikes on the country or the terror group’s use of civilian shields in the Gaza Strip.
“Hamas preaches the destruction of Israel and death to everything we hold dear in the United States. The recent attacks again show why we must cut off their financial support,” Rep. Mast said. “But today House Democrats backtracked on their previous support for this bill, and in doing so sent a clear message to the world that they stand with Radical Islamic terrorists like Hamas instead of with our ally Israel.”
The legislation was brought to the floor for a vote under a parliamentary procedure known as the “previous question,” which is used to end debate on a topic and proceed to an immediate vote. The bill would apply sanctions on any foreign persons, agencies, and governments that assist Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, or their affiliates. Both terror groups are primarily armed and funded by the Iranian government.
“Today every member in the House will have a choice between siding with our ally or siding with a status quo that will only perpetuate the unrest,” Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), the chamber’s minority leader, said in a statement ahead of the vote. “Support for Israel should remain a proud, bipartisan, but most of all, clear policy principle in Congress. As our greatest ally in the Middle East faces the most intense siege in 7 years, the House should make it clear to the world that we stand united in support of Israel.”
Biden, the Democrats and Israel
The American left demands an Israel-Hamas cease-fire, but on whose terms?
By: The Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2021
Since Hamas began its rocket offensive last week, the Biden Administration has wisely refused to dictate the Israeli response. But the U.S. narrative war took a notable turn this week as Congressional Democrats demanded a cease-fire. We hope the President bucks his instinct to follow his party and leads it instead.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad have launched more than 3,000 rockets into Israel since last week, Jerusalem says, and Israel has been pummeling those groups in the Gaza strip to stop the attacks. Media and progressive activists blamed the Hamas-initiated war on Israel, as they always do, but the White House did not go along.
That position may not be viable for much longer on Capitol Hill. “Now, after more than a week of hostilities, it has become even more apparent that a cease-fire is necessary,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy told Politico, “If Israel doesn’t believe a cease-fire is in their interest, that doesn’t mean we have to accept that judgment. We have enormous persuasive power.”
Rep. Gregory Meeks, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reportedly floated an arms-sale delay on Monday, but backed off on Tuesday citing assurances from the White House.
With any luck Israel will soon inflict enough damage on Gaza’s terrorist stockpiles and leadership that it can negotiate a genuine cease-fire. Israel wants a swift end to the conflict, not a repeat of its 2014 Operation Protective Edge, which lasted 50 days and involved a Gaza ground incursion.
Yet calls for a cease-fire for cease-fire’s sake ignore the drivers of the conflict. Hamas has won a political victory within Palestinian politics with its show of force. Its leaders were open to a temporary cease-fire after their attacks last week. They want to pocket a political win, walk away with their military capabilities intact, and regroup.
If Israel lets that happen, the next Gaza war will take even more lives. Hezbollah, the more proficient missile-armed Islamists on Israel’s northern border, would be emboldened. Why would Israel’s leadership allow that to happen—especially on the orders of a U.S. government that is also relieving economic pressure on Iran, the main sponsor of its terrorist foes?
One irony is that the calls for the U.S. to dictate terms to Israel come primarily from Democrats who want less U.S. involvement in Middle East security. Washington’s demands that Israel make politically impossible concessions could reduce U.S. influence and inflame the region further. The better approach is to mediate the conflict but recognize that Israel is the best judge of its own security. The U.S. can also try to capitalize on the Abraham Accords to include nations like the United Arab Emirates in any cease-fire settlement.
The real source of Democratic skepticism of Israel is less Mideast realities than domestic politics. Anti-Israel sentiment is at the leading edge of modern left-wing movements seeking to undermine liberal values. President Biden so far has shown fortitude in not buckling, but his party’s dominant left is raising the stakes at home and in the Middle East.
WSJ Opinion: Suddenly, Israel’s War With Hamas Reignites
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