RELEASE: Statement on Recent Comments Regarding the Ironclad U.S.-Israel Relationship

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, July 17, 2023, U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Dean Phillips (MN-3), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Kathy Manning (NC-6), Greg Landsman (OH-1), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Angie Craig (MN-2), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Wiley Nickel (NC-13), Darren Soto (FL-9), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jeff Jackson (NC-14), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Don Norcross (NJ-1), Jared Golden (ME-2), Ed Case (HI-1), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Jim Costa (CA-21), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Scott Peters (CA-50), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Hillary Scholten (MI-3), Rob Menendez (NJ-8), Susie Lee (NV-3), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Chris Pappas (NH-1), Mike Levin (CA-49), David Trone (MD-6), Don Davis (NC-1), Abigail Spanberger (VA-7), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-2), Annie Kuster (NH-2), Seth Moulton (MA-6), Derek Kilmer (WA-6), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-3), Lou Correa (CA-46), and Grace Napolitano (CA-31) released the following statement regarding the historic relationship between the United States and Israel, our most important ally in the Middle East.

“Israel remains the only vibrant, progressive, and inclusive democracy in the region. Arab parties serve in the Knesset, women serve at the highest levels of the military, and the country remains an oasis for LGBTQ+ people in a region hostile toward the community. Pluralism flourishes in Israel. 

We are deeply concerned about Representative Pramila Jayapal’s unacceptable comments regarding our historic, democratic ally Israel, and we appreciate her retraction.

Israel is the legitimate homeland of the Jewish people and efforts to delegitimize and demonize it are not only dangerous and antisemitic, but they also undermine America’s national security. Israel is critical to our fight against terror, and our defense and intelligence collaboration continues to strengthen our leadership in the world. Israel remains our greatest partner for peace in the Middle East.  

Any efforts to rewrite history and question the Jewish State’s right to exist, or our historic bipartisan relationship, will never succeed in Congress. We remain committed to peace between Israel and the Palestinians to establish two states that exist side-by-side in peace, prosperity, and mutual security.  

We will never allow anti-Zionist voices that embolden antisemitism to undermine and disrupt the strongly bipartisan consensus supporting the U.S.-Israel relationship that has existed for decades.”

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