The US Democratic Party has become “openly anti-Semitic,” SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has claimed, after lawmaker Rashida Tlaib held up a a “war criminal” sign during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress.
Speaking to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday evening, Netanyahu vowed – to thunderous applause from Republicans and a more muted response from Democrats – to win a “total victory in Gaza” and “fight until we destroy Hamas’ military capabilities.”
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Around half of the Democrats in the House and Senate skipped the speech. Among those who attended was Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib, who held up a small sign reading “Guilty of Genocide” and “War criminal” as the Israeli prime minister spoke.
Tlaib’s protest drew condemnation from Republicans and pro-Israel Democrats. In a post on X, tech billionaire Mark Pincus wondered, “How is this part of the Dem party? Are Dem leaders denouncing?”
“People who have been lifelong Democrats refuse to accept the clear reality that the Democratic Party is rapidly becom[ing] openly anti-Semitic,” Musk replied, claiming that “This trend is accelerating, not slowing down.”
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Support for Israel is typically an issue of bipartisan agreement in the US. Back in April, a bill providing $26.3 billion in assistance to the Jewish state passed the House by 366 votes to 58, after which it was sent to the Senate and combined with bills gifting tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine and Taiwan, which also passed with bipartisan support.
However, Israel’s war on Hamas has widened the rift between the Democratic Party’s establishment and progressive wings, with the latter pressing President Joe Biden to force Netanyahu into declaring an immediate ceasefire. In an apparent gesture to the progressives, Biden froze the delivery of around 1,800 2,000-pound bombs to Israel earlier this summer. However, his administration has given Israel more than 14,000 of the same bombs, as well as drone-launched missiles and $6.5 billion in other military aid, since October 7, Reuters reported last week.