Inside House Democrats' fear-driven turn against Israel

One hundred three House Democrats voted on Wednesday to strip all U.S. funding for Israel from a State Department bill. The vote, per Axios, exposes a profound shift in Democratic politics, driven by primary victories for candidates critical of Israeli policy and fear among moderates that they could be next. The amendment had no exception for diplomatic funding, yet many Democrats voted for it to send a message about Gaza and Lebanon. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed the amendment; Axios reports that his letter persuaded dozens on the fence, and without it, as many as one hundred fifty Democrats might have voted yes. The political reality: constituents see eighty-five percent of Gaza's homes destroyed, and lawmakers are listening.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton