US House resolution: Anti-Zionism a form of anti-semitism
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The US House approved a GOP-led anti-Semitism resolution with 311 in favor and 14 against, raising Democratic concerns about its broad language possibly categorizing criticism of the Israeli government as anti-Semitic.
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Protesters gather to occupy the main entrance to the Space Needle during a rally demanding that Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., call for a cease-fire in the war on Gaza, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, in Seattle. (AP)
On Tuesday, the US House of Representatives approved a resolution led by Republicans condemning anti-semitism domestically and internationally.
The vote resulted in 311 in favor and 14 against.
Some Democrats voiced worries that the GOP resolution's language is too expansive, potentially categorizing any critique of the Israeli occupation government or its policies as anti-semitic.
Ninety-two Democrats opted for a "present" vote, while 13 Democrats and one Republican opposed the resolution.
The vote occurred amidst a Congressional deadlock on aid to "Israel" during its war on Gaza. While there's broad bipartisan backing for Israeli aid, it's entangled in partisan disputes, particularly regarding US Southern border policies, creating uncertainty about its passage.
Division over approaches to anti-semitism resolution
Before the vote, Democratic Representatives Jerry Nadler and Daniel Goldman from New York, along with Jamie Raskin from Maryland, encouraged their peers to cast a "present" vote on the GOP resolution, characterizing it as a partisan effort to gain political advantage and emphasizing the necessity for a bipartisan approach.
On Monday, Nadler, Goldman, and Raskin introduced an alternative resolution condemning antisemitism. Their proposal urges executive branch agencies and Congress to adopt the Biden administration's "national strategy for combating antisemitism".
During his remarks on the House floor, Nadler highlighted a specific aspect of the GOP resolution's language, which asserts that "anti-Zionism is antisemitism."
“That is either intellectually disingenuous or just factually wrong,” he said.
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