GOP antisemitism answer passes Area, fractures Democrats

Editor’s notice: This tale has been up to date to replicate that Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Unwell.) was once one of the crucial 13 Democrats to vote in opposition to the answer.

The Area authorized a answer on Tuesday condemning the “drastic upward push of antisemitism” within the U.S. and all over the world following Hamas’ unheard of assault on Israel on Oct. 7 — a vote that fractured Democrats and precipitated liberal accusations that Republicans had been looking to “weaponize Jewish ache.”

The chamber voted 311-14-92 at the measure, which reaffirms the Area’s robust fortify for the Jewish neighborhood around the globe; calls on elected officers and global leaders to sentence antisemitism; rejects all kinds of terror, hate, discrimination and harassment in opposition to people within the Jewish neighborhood and “obviously and firmly states that anti-Zionism is antisemitism.”

The Area authorized the answer regardless of a last-minute effort by means of a bunch of distinguished Jewish Democrats urging contributors in their caucus to vote “provide” at the regulation — which 92 did.

Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) issued a observation previous on Tuesday criticizing the answer as “the newest unserious strive by means of Republicans to weaponize Jewish ache and the intense drawback of antisemitism to attain affordable political issues.”

The coalition argued that the measure was once redundant for the reason that Area authorized a answer final week maintaining Israel’s proper to exist as an unbiased state, whilst additionally pronouncing Tuesday’s measure “does no longer account for the complexity of Judaism itself and ignores nuanced examples such because the Satmar sect, a Hasidic Jewish motion, which stays staunchly anti-Zionist and somewhat clearly no longer antisemitic.”

“With the intention to forestall the Majority from taking part in those political video games, we can vote Provide, and we urge our colleagues — without reference to their substantive perspectives of the answer — to do the similar,” they added.

13 Democrats voted in opposition to the answer: Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Summer time Lee (Pa.), Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), Jesús “Chuy” García (Unwell.), Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.), Gerry Connolly (Va.), Cori Bush (Mo.), Pramila Jayapal (Wash.), Delia Ramirez (Unwell.) and Ilhan Omar (Minn.). Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) was once the one Republican to oppose the measure.

The Area thought to be the answer — led by means of Rep. David Kustoff (Tenn.) and Max Miller (Ohio), the 2 Jewish Republicans within the Area — after the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported an important building up in antisemitic incidents within the U.S. for the reason that Oct. 7 assault by means of Hamas.

The group on Oct. 24 mentioned it recorded a 388 % building up in stories of harassment, vandalism and attack within the time following Hamas’ offensive in comparison to the similar duration final yr. The crowd mentioned of the 312 antisemitism incidents recorded between Oct. 7 and Oct. 23, 190 of them had been “at once related” to the war between Israel and Hamas.

Tuesday’s answer is the newest piece of regulation the Area has authorized appearing cohesion with Israel for the reason that wonder Hamas assault on Oct. 7 killed about 1,200 other folks. An estimated 15,000 other folks were killed in Gaza within the month since as Israel continues its offensive in opposition to Hamas.

Hamas took roughly 240 Israeli hostages all through the preliminary assault, of which greater than 100 had been launched over a seven-day truce.

Final week, the Area authorized a answer calling on Hamas to straight away liberate all hostages. Earlier than that, the chamber cleared resolutions condemning the fortify of Hamas and Hezbollah on faculty campuses, and any other backing Israel and condemning Hamas.

Laura Kelly contributed.

Up to date: 3:21 p.m.