Democrats’ traditional support for Israel isn’t hard to figure out. For over a century, Jewish voters have overwhelmingly voted Democratic (see chart here). This held right up through the 2020 election; in fact, McCain in 2008 and Romney in 2012 did significantly better among this demographic than did Trump in either of his elections. (In fact, he slipped a couple of points in 2020, despite flaunting a belligerently pro-Israel stance.)
Voters and elections aside, there are practical reasons for the U.S. — and Democratic administrations — to support Israel. They’re the only democracy in the Middle East, and they’re a staunch (if sometimes uncooperative) ally.
Also, the Palestinians have alienated many Americans with their vow to eliminate Israel and by their terror attacks, including against Americans.
But within the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, there is a faction sympathetic to the Palestinians’ plight, fueled by what some see as oppression and heavy-handed treatment of Palestinians by Israel officialdom. The latest outrage is the eviction of Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem from their homes, which is touching off another spate of violence.
There’s nothing new about any of this. Israel’s settlements and land annexations in the West Bank have long been controversial and are a major impediment to achieving a Israeli-Palestinian peace, if that’s even possible.
Amid this latest eruption of conflict, the Biden administration is treading lightly, telling everyone to calm down. But the strident Democrats in Congress are speaking out: “Over the weekend, the three biggest voices on the American left — Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) — all condemned Israel’s efforts to forcibly evict the Palestinian families,” The Hill reported on Monday, May 10, 2021. (Read their report here.)
Some other Democrats are joining in. For example, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) said, “The Biden administration needs to publicly acknowledge that the dislocation of Palestinian families from their own land is unacceptable and a form of persecution” and called on the administration to “restrict U.S. assistance from activities that persecute Palestinians and advance the illegal annexation of Palestinian land.”
The Democratic Party as an entity won’t turn against Israel in any big way, and Israel’s rightwing leader, Netanyahu, probably figures he can provoke the party’s Palestinian supporters with impunity. Netanyahu’s bigger trouble is at home, where he’s barely clinging to power and in legal hot water. A change of administrations in Tel Aviv, if one occurs, might bring an easing of Netanyahu’s policies that are causing much of the current trouble.
One thing seems certain: There will never be peace while Israeli policy treats the Palestinians as a subjugated people. On the other hand, neither can there be peace as long as Palestinian leaders cling to a goal of destroying the Israeli state, which grew from the ashes of the Holocaust. Both sides need to give up their militancy, but that seems as distant as ever.
Read more about the current violence in the BBC article here.