Jewish Dems: Republicans Must Stop Using Israel as a Political Wedge Issue

WASHINGTON – This week, Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy visited Israel, gave an address to the Knesset, and offered to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regardless of whether or not he’s invited to Washington by President Joe Biden. In response, the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) Board Chair Hon. Ron Klein said:

“Yesterday in Israel, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy once again demonstrated Republican efforts to play politics with support for Israel. From Donald Trump to Ron DeSantis to Kevin McCarthy, there has been a long record of Republicans using Israel as a political wedge issue to score cheap political points. Jewish Americans see through these efforts and believe Israel should remain a bipartisan issue. It’s time for extremist Republicans to stop attempting to mislead Jewish voters — we’ve seen the GOP try this political game in advance of each election, and it fails every single time.”

JDCA CEO Halie Soifer added:

“Speaker McCarthy clearly needs to be reminded that U.S. foreign policy is set by the President of the United States, and invitations for state visits are determined by the White House. Jewish Americans have no interest in reliving the extremely divisive period surrounding the Prime Minister’s last invitation to Washington at the behest of a Republican-controlled Congress, and we’re confident that Israel’s Prime Minister will be invited to visit Washington by President Biden at the right time.

“Yesterday, Speaker McCarthy told the Knesset that ‘if we remain united, then the forces of freedom and democracy will always prevail.’ This statement could not ring more hollow from a leader who refused to recognize the results of the last U.S. presidential election and supported efforts to deny half the American population of their reproductive rights.

“We are confident that the overwhelming majority of Jewish voters will continue to find their political home in the Democratic Party because Democrats align with the Jewish community on every key issue, including Israel, as well as defense of our democracy, community, and rights against the threats posed by the right-wing extremism that have come to define the GOP.”

###

To speak with a JDCA spokesperson, please contact [email protected].