One source said that Obama-era fighting between Democrats and Netanyahu have “scarred relationships” between the two.
By Michael Wilner
WASHINGTON – The last time Nancy Pelosi served as speaker of the House,
she had a like-minded partner in the White House and a congressional
caucus largely in sync with her more traditional liberal views towards
Israel.
No longer.In the eight interim years since losing the position, she has
witnessed the growth of a subgroup of Democratic lawmakers eager for
legislation on Palestinian human rights and more critical of Israeli
government tactics. She has stood despondent on the House floor at the
applause of her colleagues as Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin
Netanyahu, confronted then-president Barack Obama over his policies on
Iran.And she has also stood on the sidelines as Israel’s leaders have
aligned themselves with Donald Trump, a president anathema to liberal
democrats.
Democratic sources familiar with Pelosi’s thinking say she is preparing
to navigate a new era of Israel politics, in which Israeli government
officials have embraced the Trump administration for its deference and
submission to their whims, and in which vocal figures hostile to the
Zionism have gained seats in the party.
One source said that Obama-era fighting between Democrats and Netanyahu
have “scarred relationships”– but that those scars were concealed over
the last two years, with Democrats in the minority in government.
“This is the first time you’re going to see Democratic control since the
Bibi-Dermer wing of Israeli politics has unabashedly aligned itself
with Republicans– and you’re going to see this idea tested – that you
can be pro-Israel, as Pelosi is, but still highly critical of the
Israeli government,” the source said, referring to Israel’s ambassador
to the US, Ron Dermer. “And you’ll see that privately, when Dermer goes
to Capitol Hill or when Netanyahu visits, but also [will see this
expressed] publicly.”
Those Democrats who have secured leadership positions– including Pelosi,
but also future chairmen of key committees related to foreign policy
and appropriations– come from a classic school of thought on Israel in
Washington, that policy towards the Jewish state must remain nonpartisan
and that criticism of its government should be precise and tempered.And
while several members-elect made waves in the 2018 election for their
aggressive stances on Israel– most prominently Ilhan Omar of Minnesota,
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts
and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan– their positions as freshmen congresswomen
make them practically incapable of affecting foreign policy in a
meaningful, procedural way.
Caucus leadership will choose which members are given seats on
committees that will deal with Middle East policy, and none of these
members are expected to be given such roles, according to one Democratic
official.
But they can still apply political pressure through the press and their substantial social media followings.
In a less-visible battle, Hakeem Jeffries of New York defeated Barbara
Lee of California to serve as caucus chair on Wednesday, marking a
victory for establishment Democrats and staving off the potential for a
vocal and frequent critic of Israel to join majority leadership.
But even if Democratic leadership in the next Congress – including
future chairmen Jerrold Nadler of New York on the House Judiciary
Committee, Nita Lowey of New York on the Appropriations Committee, and
Eliot Engel of New York on the Foreign Relations Committee – stands to
the right of this freshmen cadre, it remains to the left of the Israeli
government and its allies in the administration, and may be setting up
the potential for conflict in hearings and on select bills.
Thus Pelosi will experience pressure from both an emboldened political
left, as well as a governing alliance on the right, as she takes the
gavel.
“As we prepare for the 116th Congress, we are proud to support Nancy
Pelosi for Speaker of the House,” said Halie Soifer, executive director
of the The Jewish Democratic Council of America, as the group endorsed
her for leadership. “Over the course of many decades, Leader Pelosi has
proven her unwavering leadership on issues of importance to Jewish
Democrats and the broader Jewish community. “This includes serving as a
stalwart advocate for the US-Israel relationship and other US national
security interests, as well as championing social justice issues.”
“Leader Pelosi has worked tirelessly to combat antisemitism and other
forms of discrimination and fought to defend access to affordable
healthcare, reproductive rights, and human rights domestically and
around the world,” Soifer continued. “With Democrats taking control of
the House, Jewish Dems look forward to working with Leader Pelosi and
other Democrats to promote a domestic and foreign policy agenda aligned
with Jewish and Democratic values.”
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