A large bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives voted Tuesday for a resolution supporting Israel and condemning antisemitism in the aftermath of a left-wing Democrat’s claim that the country is “racist.”
Republican Texas Rep. August Pfluger introduced the resolution in response to Democratic Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s assertion that Israel is a “racist state.” The White House, Democratic leadership, and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy condemned the remarks, and Jayapal issued an apology. (RELATED: ‘They Need To Do Something’: Speaker McCarthy Reacts To Dem Rep’s ‘Antisemitic’ Remarks)
“The State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state; Congress rejects all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia; and the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel,” the resolution says. All 217 voting Republicans and 195 Democrats supported the resolution, while all nine “no’s” came from Democrats.
Herzog, the president of Israel, will address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday morning. He met with President Joe Biden on Tuesday, with the two discussing the U.S.-Israel alliance and Middle Eastern foreign policy. The Biden administration and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been feuding over a proposal that would give Israeli parliament more power over the country’s high court, leading some to believe the White House invited Herzog as a snub to the prime minister.
“Israel is our strongest partner in the Middle East, and recent Member comments denigrating Israel are unacceptable and disgusting. My resolution lets every American know exactly where their Representatives stand when it comes to supporting Israel and our Jewish communities,” Pfluger tweeted.
Israel is our strongest partner in the Middle East, and recent Member comments denigrating Israel are unacceptable and disgusting.
My resolution lets every American know exactly where their Representatives stand when it comes to supporting Israel and our Jewish communities. pic.twitter.com/11rhUzF7MJ
— Rep. August Pfluger (@RepPfluger) July 17, 2023
Five members of the left-wing “Squad” have already pledged to boycott Herzog’s speech. New York Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, Missouri Rep. Cori Bush, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar will not attend the joint address, with Omar saying in a statement that criticism of Jayapal is due to a desire to “polic[e] the language of Black and brown women.” None of the five voted in favor of the resolution.
Tlaib doubled down on claims that Israel is an “apartheid state” in a floor speech.
“To assert otherwise, Mr. Speaker, in the face of this body of evidence, is an attempt to deny the reality and to normalize violence of apartheid.”