The US House of Representatives passed a resolution on Tuesday in which it unconditionally supports Israel and affirms that the country is not a racist state.
The document, with 412 votes in favor and nine against, all from Democrats from the progressive wing of the party, stipulates that the US will “always provide fervent and unconditional support” to Israel.
The vote comes days after Democratic lawmaker Pramila Jayapal called Israel a “racist state.” The comments, made to pro-Palestinian protesters over the weekend, sparked backlash from members of the party itself and from the Republican side.
“To call Israel, formed as a result of racism, anti-Semitism and hatred, racist is abhorrent,” said Republican Congressman Michael McCaul, in a speech delivered before the vote on the resolution.
Among the group of congresswomen who voted against it were Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who also faced criticism within the party for criticizing Israel and the Israeli government.
Jayapal downplayed the remarks on Sunday, after some 50 lawmakers wrote a letter condemning the comments. However, he stressed that he considers that the current Israeli government has adopted “discriminatory and racist” policies.
The vote on the resolution in the House of Representatives (lower house of the US Congress) took place when the president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, pays a visit to Washington, with a speech scheduled for this Wednesday, before Congress.
US-Israeli relations are in one of the worst crises since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in December, backed by ultra-Orthodox and far-right partners, with the “most extremist government in history.” From Israel. in the words of US President Joe Biden last July.
The US administration has not hidden, in recent months, concerns about judicial reform in Israel, seen as a threat to democracy, as well as the spiral of violence against Palestinians and the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Source: TSF
