The Democratic Party has an Anti-Israel Problem

I love this country. Not the state we're in today, but because of what is possible when we work together. I believe in the founding principles of this country: a respect for every individual, regardless of what you look like, sound like, how you pray, where you're from, or what you believe.

This current administration clearly does not share my beliefs, they argue that there is a class system in the United States of human value. To them, some people value more than others, they want to isolate, to 'other' different groups of people, to make them feel unwanted and unsafe in their communities. I have a hunch that you feel more similarly to me... but unfortunately I've experienced this 'othering', this discomfort from within the Democratic party as well.

I have been a lifelong democrat, I have protested in favor of strengthening our civil rights laws and championed the causes of the progressive left - because I agree with them. But as a progressively-minded, Jewish individual, I have felt alienated by the Democratic party and progressives over the last few years. Specifically, I am concerned about the growing Anti-Israel, Anti-Zionist, and Anti-Semitic remarks that have become commonplace in our political and social commentary. A rising litmus test on the left demanding nothing less than a full throated denunciation of the State of Israel, not just specific policies or actions, but a required condemnation, is alienating voters and holding us back from substantive action and improving the situation on the ground..

Starting in Trump's first term, and ramping up following the October 7th, 2023 terrorist attack in Israel, my life has been devalued by many of my peers, because I am Jewish. I wasn't new to antisemitism, but at this point it became personal. I saw my childhood synagogue vandalized with a Swastika, I witnessed friends advocating for the eradication of Israel, and I became more afraid to be my authentic self.

Shortly afterwards, when my son was born, we were asked if a tattoo we had was in Hebrew. We paused for a moment, worried if the nurse's response would be hostile (luckily it wasn't). When we named our son, we almost chose a different name, out of fear that giving our son a biblical name could result in future acts of hate or targeting. Ultimately, we did what countless generations of Jews and Americans do: we celebrated our identity with pride.

I am appalled by the violence we've witnessed in the conflict. I wish Israel had been more measured in it's response and that there had been more of an effort in the region to improve the situation as opposed to simply winning the propaganda battle. The global response to the terrorist attack was very uncomfortable for me to observe. Seeing members of my community that I likely protested with in the past cheering on the abhorrent violence of October 7th was sickening. I saw major news outlets and the UN ignore the human rights abuses against innocent men, women, and children, including late night retractions of incorrect reporting that had already been widely socialized. The Red Cross, responsible for the well being of hostages world wide, did not help the Israelis taken as hostage and in multiple cases helped Hamas hide them.

The unfortunate reality for Jewish people in the United States over these last two years is that we have been forced to reevaluate our communities; we often either try to ignore the topic with our friends on the left, or we risk lose those friendships. I don't ask for everyone to agree with me, but we need to return to respectful discourse: where we recognize that people have different perspectives, different lived experiences, and realize that life is always more complicated than at face value. There is a silver lining to the recent conflict: it is an opportunity to improve the lives of those living in Gaza and Israel, and also tamp down the rising Anti-Semitism world-wide. As your representative, I will not take the easy way out; I'll push for what's right.

I believe in a two-state solution for Israel. What does that mean? Two things: Hamas needs to be removed from power and so does Netanyahu. Hamas aren't freedom fighters: they are a terrorist organization, funded in large part by (the Islamic Republic of) Iran, that uses civilians as human shields. If Palestine wants to be truly free, they need to be free of foreign influence and have self-autonomy. With Hamas in power since 2005, funds for humanitarian efforts and infrastructure have been diverted to paying Hamas leadership and buying weapons. Once Palestine has independent leadership committed to diplomatic relations (and not extermination of the Jews), Israel will be more inclined to negotiate. Palestine will be able to have their own infrastructure and Israel should be prohibited from blocking their port access. Israel can, and should, be able to maintain security at land borders, like any sovereign nation.

Israel is not innocent in this exchange. They were provoked, but they also acted with a lack of restraint. As a sign of a commitment to a renewed diplomatic relationship, Netanyahu should resign. In the same way that Trump and his administration doesn't represent the views of the average American, Netanyahu doesn't represent the average Israeli and his government certainly does not speak for the Jewish community around the world. Middle Eastern politics has such a long history fraught with missteps and complications, and too often our discourse ignores the nuanced historical realities that challenge peace in the region. The United States should encourage Netanyahu to step down as a condition of continued aid. Once Hamas is removed from Power, the United States and Israel should help Palestine rebuild.

I don't think a boycott of all things Israel is a sensible step. In the past two years, we have seen a myriad of anti-Semitic activity worldwide, and it's no accident. Hamas has successfully won a war of propaganda. When you shout slogans like "From the river to the sea, Palestine must be free," you're calling for violence on Israelis (which, just a causal reminder, isn't only Jews). When you call to globalize the intifada, you're calling for organized violence against Jews around the world, which results in atrocities like we witnessed in Australia this past Chanukah. I know that many of these protests include good people who are caught up in the moment, and simply haven't heard or grappled with counter viewpoints such as mine. We need to lower the temperature and think about the situation more clearly. I believe in freeing Palestine from oppressive regimes and I believe in peace. But we're not going to get anywhere (or defeat Republicans) by vilifying Israel and calling for its destruction.

I was at an anti-ICE rally the other day and was disheartened with the fact that it included a sanctioned "free Palestine" chant. I don't feel that shouting "free Palestine" at an anti-ICE protest is productive. What ICE is doing here and what is happening in Gaza are not equivalent situations. Equating them alienates Jews and supporters of Israel - and weakens our message about the overreach of ICE here at home.

The United States I fight for believes in freedom of speech and varying viewpoints. The people of this country want all people to be free from tyranny. I am running for congress because I am shocked and angered by the realities of our current domestic policies, in particular of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.

International politics is always more challenging because it requires diplomacy with people in countries that have different values and approaches. As a congressman, I will do everything in my power to push the region towards more stable relationships and away from some of the extremist views that have made lasting peace impossible. We need to use diplomacy and our buying power to drive peace, not additional force. Jewish Americans are not representatives of Israel, and it's okay to have different opinions on the matter. We can still unite together around respect for each other and defeat the very real domestic threat of government weaponization that is happening at home, right now.