US House passes pro-Israel resolution following Jayapal's 'racist state' comment

The US House of Representatives passed a resolution on Tuesday affirming its support for Israel, following Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal's now walked-back comments calling the self-proclaimed Jewish state "racist".

The bipartisan resolution passed with an overwhelming majority of 422-9, with nine Democratic representatives voting against it.

The dissenters were mainly comprised of elements of the Progressive wing of the Democratic Party which have been critical of Israeli abuses and includes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Cori Bush of Missouri, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. 

Jayapal, who is chair of the Progressive Democratic caucus, followed her walk-back on her initial comments by voting for the resolution. 

The resolution authored by Rep. August Pfluger of Texas did not mention the Jayapal by name. However, it was clearly authored in response to her comments, which drew criticism from the zealously pro-Israel Republican Party and the Liberal centrist Democrats.

The resolution stated that Congress believes that "the State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state", and "Congress rejects all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia". It also affirmed that "the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel".

'Shaming' critics of Israel

Critics claim the inclusion of the condemnation of antisemitism and xenophobia in the resolution is particularly disturbing, given Jayapal’s comments addressed Israel as a "racist state", while not mentioning any particular race or ethnicity.

The current Israeli government is a coalition of hard-right and far-right parties - apparently a source of tension between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.   

The designation of Israel as a racist state is also shared by major human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, as well as official UN bodies.

Ilhan Omar, who has also been accused of "antisemitism" for criticising Israeli policy, linked the treatment of Jayapal surrounding the resolution to the issue of shaming.

"I am also deeply concerned about the shaming - often of women of color - when they speak out about human rights violations happening in Palestine and Israel, especially when similar concern is not expressed for the lives being lost and families being torn apart," she wrote on Twitter.

Others have also pointed to the apparent irony of a Republican Party that supported former President Donald Trump's 'Muslim Ban' voting for a resolution rejecting "xenophobia", as well as their own failure to punish Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene for her infamous rant blaming California wildfires on a "Jewish space laser".

You invited one of America’s biggest antisemitic voices to testify to Congress. Sit this one out. Seriously. Adults only. https://t.co/J9iCfui74W

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) July 18, 2023

Most recently, Republicans came under fire for their invitation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr to testify before the House weaponisation subcommittee on Thursday, given his recent overt antisemitic comments claiming "Ashkenazi Jews" might have engineered the Covid-19 pandemic.

The resolution comes as Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to speak at a joint session of Congress today, which many Progressive Democrats have vowed to boycott.