U.S. House overwhelmingly passes GOP resolution backing Israel, meant to rebuke Dems

"The US House on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a symbolic resolution reaffirming support for Israel that was introduced by Republican lawmakers in an implicit rebuke of a leading Democrat who called the country a ‘racist state’ but later apologized.

‘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,’ read the resolution that passed 412-9-1.

The vote came as Israel’s President Isaac Herzog was in Washington for meetings with President Joe Biden and other administration officials, with a handful of progressive Democrats planning to boycott an address to both chambers of Congress slated for Wednesday.

The resolution does not mention Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington by name, but was introduced days after she criticized Israel and its treatment of Palestinians at a conference on Saturday.

Jayapal, the 100-member chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, walked back the comments the next day, insisting they were aimed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and not the Jewish state as an entity.

But Republican Rep. August Pfluger pushed forward the resolution forward with the support of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy who ostensibly eyed an opportunity to divide Democrats over the issue.

Democratic Reps. Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Andre Carson, Summer Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Delia Ramirez and Rashida Tlaib made up the ‘no’ votes and fellow progressive Rep. Betty McCollum casted the lone ‘present’ vote.

Among those voting in favor was Jayapal herself, as well as several progressive Democrats normally harshly critical of Israel, such as Raul Grijalva and Chuy Garcia.

Just about all ‘no’ votes were members of the progressive Squad, five of whom have also announced plans to skip Herzog’s speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday..."