From Israel hawks to ‘genocide’: The Jewish center no longer holds in Congress

The midterm elections exposed a fractured Jewish congressional caucus on Israel, with newly elected Democrats ranging from Brad Lander, who accuses Israel of genocide, to Elaine Luria, an Israel hawk. The article traces the decline of the once-cohesive Jewish center, now split between pro-Israel hawks, critics of the current government, and those who favor banning most weapons sales.

The Jewish center in Congress has fractured, as demonstrated by the midterm elections. Newly elected Jewish Democrats diverge sharply on Israel: Brad Lander of New York opposes offensive weapons and accuses Israel of genocide, while Elaine Luria of Virginia Beach, who flipped her district back, supports them. The article traces the decline of the once-cohesive Jewish caucus, which under AIPAC provided a unified front on Israel. Now, groups like IfNotNow and Democratic Majority for Israel claim victory for their opposing visions. Ira Forman, former head of the National Jewish Democratic Council, notes that the 80% consensus he relied on is gone. The piece also highlights the rise of J Street as a counterweight to AIPAC, and the election of non-Jewish rejectionists like Rashida Tlaib and three others. Jewish lawmakers now range from genocide accusers to Israel hawks, with Republicans like Randy Fine favoring full Israeli control of disputed territory.