Jewish Democrats won’t back GOP antisemitism resolution

Several prominent Jewish Democrats will withhold their support for a Republican-sponsored resolution condemning antisemitism, accusing GOP leaders of using the Hamas attack of Oct. 7 — and the spike in anti-Jewish hate crimes that followed — to divide Democrats for political ends.

Instead, Reps. Jerry Nadler (N.Y.), Jamie Raskin (Md.) and Dan Goldman (N.Y.) said they will vote “present” when the resolution hits the floor, and they’re urging their Democratic colleagues to do the same — “regardless of their substantive views” of the proposal.

“Today’s Resolution … is just the latest unserious attempt by Republicans to weaponize Jewish pain and the serious problem of antisemitism to score cheap political points,” the three Democrats said in a joint statement.

Sponsored by Reps. David Kustoff (Tenn.) and Max Miller (Ohio), the only two Jewish House Republicans, the GOP’s four-page resolution lists a host of incidents involving violence against Jews around the world since Oct. 7.

“It is imperative [that] leaders voice their strong opposition to these horrifying acts of violence and discrimination,” Kustoff said in a statement announcing the resolution.

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It is expected to pass easily when it hits the floor Tuesday afternoon.

Nadler, Raskin and Goldman pointed to one specific issue they have with the Republicans’ resolution, saying it’s simply too broad.  

“Among other problems … [it] does not account for the complexity of Judaism itself and ignores nuanced examples such as the Satmar sect, a Hasidic Jewish movement, which remains staunchly anti-Zionist and quite obviously is not antisemitic,” the Democrats wrote.

The three lawmakers this week had introduced their own resolution denouncing antisemitism, which they’re touting as the preferable proposal because it offers specific solutions aimed at fighting the growing problem.

The House has considered several resolutions showing solidarity with Israel since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. The issue has highlighted fierce divisions among Democrats on the hot-button topic, and a number of liberals have opposed those proposals to protest the absence of language condemning Palestinian casualties in Gaza.

In urging Democrats to vote “present” on the GOP resolution — which states anti-Zionism is antisemitism — Nadler, Raskin and Goldman are, in effect, seeking unity in neutrality while denying Republicans an opportunity to paint the entire Democratic Party as anti-Israel based on the votes of a handful of Israel critics.

“The threat of antisemitism and the safety of Jewish lives is not a game,” the three Democrats said. “It is beneath the dignity of Congress and it is an affront to Jews everywhere to treat rising antisemitism as an opportunity to create partisan division with conceptual confusion, and we encourage all members of good conscience to vote Present.”