Senate Democrats slam Israel in major shift of tone
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Mainstream Senate Democrats are starting to echo their party's base, which has soured on supporting Israel.
Zoom in: Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), a moderate Democrat from a swing state, this week slammed the Israeli government for the lack of humanitarian aid in Gaza and violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
- "There are times when, to me, it doesn't look like [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] is prioritizing the hostage situation," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told Axios. "Certainly, there's times when it looks like Hamas does not want a deal."
- "I think it's way overdue to have Democratic members of Congress speak up and speak out about the humanitarian disaster in Gaza," Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), another moderate who has criticized Israel since the start of the war, told Axios on Wednesday.
The big picture: The comments are part of a significant shift in tone toward Netanyahu from the center of the Democratic Party.
- Slotkin's post on X this week addressed the killing of an American by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and slammed Netanyahu for a lack of accountability.
- Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who spent time in Iraq, told Axios on Wednesday she has heard "lots of negative feedback" about her post following a "very rough weekend in the Middle East."
- "I say strong things about Iran and how I'm glad that their nuclear capability has been put back, and I also hear a negative response to that," Slotkin said. "So I just try and objectively call balls and strikes."
The other side: Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has emerged as one of the strongest pro-Israel voices in the party.
- Fetterman offered his full support of President Trump's decision to attack Iran last month, saying the U.S. commitment to Israel must be "absolute."
The bottom line: Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) told Axios that lawmakers are starting to understand "this is not just a moral issue, it's a political issue."
- Van Hollen, a leading Senate Democratic voice against the Netanyahu government, told Axios he's happy to have more Democrats speak up.
- "We've seen a pattern of impunity from the Netanyahu government — no accountability for these killings — and we've seen a pattern of indifference from the U.S. government," Van Hollen said. "I'm glad more people seem to be paying attention."
