House Passes Resolution Condemning Anti-Semitism Amidst Fractured Democratic Vote

Edited by: Fern Sidman

The House of Representatives has approved a resolution denouncing the “drastic rise of anti-Semitism” globally, prompted by the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7. The vote, which witnessed a 311-14-92 split, aimed to express the House’s strong support for the global Jewish community, condemn anti-Semitism, reject terror, hate, discrimination, and harassment against Jews, and unequivocally state that anti-Zionism is tantamount to anti-Semitism, as was reported by TheHill.com. TheHill.com also reported that the resolution was championed by Reps. David Kustoff and Max Miller, the two Jewish Republicans in the House

While the resolution received overwhelming support, it faced opposition from a group of Jewish Democrats who urged fellow caucus members to vote “present.” The Hill reported that such prominent figures including Reps. Jerry Nadler, Jamie Raskin, and Dan Goldman criticized the resolution, labeling it as an attempt by Republicans to exploit Jewish pain for political gain. They argued that the resolution oversimplified Judaism and failed to acknowledge diverse perspectives, citing the example of the Satmar sect, an anti-Zionist Hasidic Jewish movement.

Despite this pushback, the House proceeded with the resolution, with 92 members voting “present.”

According to the report on TheHill.com web site, thirteen Democrats voted against the resolution: Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Summer Lee (Pa.), Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), Jesús “Chuy” García (Ill.), Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.), Gerry Connolly (Va.), Cori Bush (Mo.), Pramila Jayapal (Wash.), Delia Ramirez (Ill.) and Ilhan Omar (Minn.). Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) was the only Republican to oppose the measure.

The legislative move comes on the heels of a prior resolution affirming Israel’s right to exist as an independent state, further highlighting the complexities and controversies surrounding discussions on anti-Semitism and its political implications.

The resolution followed a report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) revealing a significant surge in anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. since the October 7 Hamas attack. As was indicated in the report on TheHill.com web site, the ADL reported a 388 percent increase in reports of harassment, vandalism, and assault during the period following the offensive, with 190 incidents “directly linked” to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

This latest legislative action underscores the House’s ongoing commitment to demonstrating solidarity with Israel since the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties. The House had previously passed resolutions calling for the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas, condemning the support of Hamas and Hezbollah on college campuses, and expressing support for Israel while condemning Hamas.