Knives Out for House Democratic Leadership After Pro-Israel Jewish Congressman Installed Atop Powerful Middle East Subcommittee

Top House Democrats are facing a fresh avalanche of criticism from their fellow party members after a pro-Israel Jewish lawmaker was named as the new top Democrat on a powerful subcommittee overseeing Middle East affairs. Prominent Democrats were quick to decry the appointment, saying it was a “f— you” to their party’s voters and that they will lose future elections if “Israel hawks” are allowed to hold sway over Democrats’ foreign policy goals. On Tuesday, it was announced that Congressman Jared Moskowitz — a Florida Democrat who recently dispatched a primary challenger backed by the Democratic Socialists of America — was being elevated to ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee’s Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee. That panel oversees security arrangements, diplomatic issues, and general oversight of the State Department’s actions in the region. If Democrats take the House this year, Mr. Moskowitz is all but guaranteed to be chairman of the subcommittee, giving him a great deal of power to defend the Jewish state in a Democratic majority. “At a moment of enormous change across the region, I’ll work to strengthen America’s relationships with Israel and our Gulf allies, expand regional peace, advance American diplomacy, and ensure our foreign policy is grounded in strength, security, and reality. I’m ready to get to work,” Mr. Moskowitz wrote on X after the change was announced. On top of Mr. Moskowitz’s elevation, the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Gregory Meeks, announced Tuesday that two other pro-Israel lawmakers — Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Congressman Wesley Bell — would be joining the committee.Prominent Democrats and powerful progressive groups that are opposed to American aid for Israel were quick to bash the decision, saying Mr. Moskowitz’s pro-Israel views are far out of line with the base of the Democratic Party. “Democratic voters: Please stop giving our tax dollars to Israel. Democratic leadership: What if we give three AIPAC Democrats more power over our foreign policy instead?” the group Justice Democrats, which successfully backed a number of left-wing candidates this year, wrote jokingly. One of President Obama’s chief foreign policy advisors, Ben Rhodes, said elevating Mr. Moskowitz is akin to “a giant f— you” to voters from Democratic Party leadership. “Dems are counting on people not noticing how they approach governing. Appointments on [the Foreign Affairs Committee] are a signal of what the party cares about and the disregard for war crimes and voter concerns could not be clearer,” Mr. Rhodes wrote in another X post. “Democratic voters are expected to knock on doors, donate, make phone calls, vote, and deliver a majority. And then have their views completely ignored,” he wrote in a third. The day after Mr. Moskowitz was appointed, a fellow House Democrat, Congressman Ro Khanna, vaguely warned against putting “Israel hawks” in positions of influence over foreign policy. He did not mention Mr. Moskowitz by name. “Too many demotivated Democrats stayed home in 2016 and 2024. We can’t repeat past mistakes,” Mr. Khanna wrote, listing a number of grievances. “Don’t put Israel hawks out of touch with our voters in charge of our Middle East policy,” he wrote as one complaint. “It is time for a reckoning: are we a party that represents corporate interests and super PACs, or will we represent the American people?” Mr. Khanna asked. Other Democrats were more explicit in their criticism. “Oh come on,” wrote Matt Duss, a former chief foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders who now serves as executive vice president at the Center for International Policy. “At what point can Democratic voters finally have foreign policy committee leadership that actually represents the party’s anti-war majority instead of its small and thankfully dwindling hawkish minority?”A spokesman for Mr. Moskowitz did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment about the vitriol online. One person who seemed especially excited about Mr. Moskowitz’s appointment was another congressman, though not a member of Mr. Moskowitz’s party. Congressman Mike Lawler, a Republican and one of the most pro-Israel lawmakers on Capitol Hill, serves as chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee. He was quick to congratulate Mr. Moskowitz following his appointment. “As Chair, I look forward to partnering with [Mr. Moskowitz] to protect America’s interests in the region, combat Iran and its malign influence and terror proxy network, and stand resolute in support of a strong US-Israel relationship,” Mr. Lawler wrote.The decision to appoint Mr. Moskowitz comes as Democratic Party voters are increasingly wary of the current U.S.–Israel relationship. With the 2028 presidential primaries set to informally kick off in just a few months, there is a massive demand for a candidate who is willing to fundamentally change the longstanding alliance. According to a new poll from YouGov and the Institute for Middle East Understanding, Democratic voters in the first six presidential primary states — South Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, Michigan, New Mexico, and Virginia — overwhelmingly believe Israel committed a genocide in Gaza and that America must cut off military aid to Israel in the next Democratic administration. In five of the six states, a majority say that a candidate’s position on Israel will play a role in deciding how they vote. In the sixth state — South Carolina — a plurality of Democrats say a candidate’s position on the issue will impact how they vote.

Knives Out for House Democratic Leadership After Pro-Israel Jewish Congressman Installed Atop Powerful Middle East Subcommittee

Knives Out for House Democratic Leadership After Pro-Israel Jewish Congressman Installed Atop Powerful Middle East Subcommittee

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