GOP senators introduce resolution condemning antisemitic violence amid ‘horrific’ spike in attacks

A group of about a dozen Republican lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a resolution to condemn antisemitism and criticisms of the Israeli government from other lawmakers.

The lawmakers cited pro-Palestinian protests around the world, antisemitic incidents that have recently taken place in the U.S. and abroad, as well as criticisms of the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as reasons for their resolution.

The resolution calls on the Senate to condemn “hatred and violence against Jews; denounces the poisonous anti-Israel rhetoric of elected officials that has inflamed hatred and inspired escalating violence against Jews; [and] rejects the biased, incomplete, and inaccurate information promulgated by the news media in the United States about Israel and the Government of Israel’s efforts to protect its citizens from terrorism.”

Republican Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Ted Cruz (Texas), Joni Ernst (Iowa) and Rick Scott (Fla.), among others, sponsored the resolution. 

“The horrific spike in anti-Semitic violence and crimes in the United States and around the world serves as reminder that hateful rhetoric and lies can quickly turn into violence,” Rubio said in a statement. “We must be very clear that this ancient evil has no place in our society and ensure America’s Jewish communities are protected.”

The resolution also takes subtle aim at progressive Democratic lawmakers such as Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) who condemned the Israeli government’s attacks on Gaza and labeled Netanyahu an “ethno-nationalist.”

The resolution also indirectly criticizes Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), who tweeted, “The Israeli military’s occupation continues. The blockade continues. The ethnic cleansing continues. Our government must stop funding the apartheid status quo,” soon after the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza was announced.

A ceasefire ends the bombardment — not the violence.

The Israeli military’s occupation continues. The blockade continues. The ethnic cleansing continues.

Our government must stop funding the apartheid status quo.

— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) May 21, 2021

Last week the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a 63 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in the 11 days that Israel and Hamas exchanged missiles. ADL also noted an alarming 17,000 tweets from May 7 to May 14 that were variations of the phrase “Hitler was right.”

Human rights groups also warned that criticisms of Israel had crossed over into antisemitism, with reports of vandalized synagogues and violent attacks coming up around the world.

GOP leaders in the House also condemned antisemitic statements coming from within their own party this week when Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-Ga.) likened getting a COVID-19 vaccine and wearing a mask to the Holocaust.

While appearing on Real America’s Voice last week, Greene compared Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) House mask rule to “a time in history when people were told to wear a gold star, and they were definitely treated like second-class citizens, so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany.”

“Marjorie is wrong, and her intentional decision to compare the horrors of the Holocaust with wearing masks is appalling,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said. “Let me be clear: the House Republican Conference condemns this language.”

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) also came out against Greene’s remarks, with Stefanik tweeting that such a comment “belittles the most significant human atrocities ever committed.”

Equating mask wearing and vaccines to the Holocaust belittles the most significant human atrocities ever committed. We must all work together to educate our fellow Americans on the unthinkable horrors of the Holocaust. #NeverAgain

— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) May 25, 2021

–Updated at 1:11 p.m.