Democrats are breaking hard from Israel — and the numbers tell the story.
Just two years ago, Sen. Bernard Sanders’ push to block U.S. military aid to Israel drew 19 votes in the Senate. Last year, 27. This week, 40.
Mr. Sanders called it a milestone, saying the growing opposition reflects “the true will of the American people.”
It’s a seismic reversal from the not-so-distant past. In 2016, Hillary Clinton stood before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and declared the U.S.-Israel alliance “unwavering” and “unshakable.” President Obama struck an identical chord in 2012. “Israel’s security is sacrosanct. It is non-negotiable,” Mr. Obama said. “When the chips are down, I have Israel’s back.”
Today, Democratic candidates across the country are calling Israel’s conduct in Gaza a “genocide” and wearing their refusal to take AIPAC money as a badge of honor.
A Pew Research Center survey conducted last month underscores just how fast the ground has shifted: 8 in 10 Democrats now hold an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 53% in 2022 — a 27-point swing in four years.
Pro-Israel voices warn the shift is stoking antisemitism. But James Zogby of the Arab American Institute pushed back sharply. “This is an effort to silence the debate by casting it as antisemitic,” Mr. Zogby said. “It is not.”
Asked whether public opinion could reverse course, Mr. Zogby was blunt: “This one’s over.”
Read more:
• Not your father’s Democratic Party: Israel loses its grip on the left
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