Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York urged his colleagues to vote “present” on the resolution.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
105 Democrats voted no or “present” on a resolution that declared “anti-Zionism is antisemitism.”Many took issue with that idea, pointing out that some Jews are anti-Zionist themselves.Rep. Jerry Nadler, the most senior Jewish House lawmaker, said the resolution was “factually wrong.”
105 House Democrats on Tuesday declined to vote for a resolution condemning antisemitism, pointing to language that equates it with anti-Zionism.
The final vote was 311-14, with 13 Democrats and one Republican voting against the resolution.
With 92 Democrats voting “present” on the resolution, most of the caucus ultimately did not support it.
On Monday, Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York — the senior Jewish member of the House — spoke out forcefully against the resolution in a floor speech. He later urged his colleagues to vote “present.”
“The resolution… states that all anti-Zionism is antisemitism,” said Nadler. “That’s either intellectually disingenuous or just factually wrong.”
While many view anti-Zionism as a form of antisemitism, the two ideologies are distinct. Antisemitism refers to both the historical and contemporary prejudice against Jewish people, while anti-Zionism is opposition to the existence of the state of Israel.
The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights organization with a strong pro-Israel bent, argues that anti-Zionism is antisemitic because it “renders Jews less worthy of sovereignty and nationhood than other peoples and states.”
But Nadler pointed out that many of his former constituents in Brooklyn, including Orthodox Jewish communities, have long held anti-Zionist views, believing that the modern, secular state of Israel is at odds with religious prophesies about the return of Jews to the Land of Israel.
Furthermore, many progressive Jews, including Jewish Voice for Peace, also describe themselves as anti-Zionist.
Nadler on Monday introduced his own resolution on anti-Semitism, arguing it goes further in mitigating the problem than the Republican-proposed resolution.
Rep. Nadler: “The resolution states that all anti-Zionism is antisemitism. That’s intellectually disingenuous or factually wrong…The authors if they were at all familiar with Jewish history & culture should know about Jewish anti-Zionism that was + is expressly not antisemitic.” https://t.co/cjTReBocKW pic.twitter.com/hsrljJcj04
— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) December 4, 2023
Tuesday’s resolution was sponsored by Rep. David Kustoff of Tennessee, one of just two Jewish Republicans in the House.
Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, a leading House progressive, told Business Insider earlier on Tuesday that he was unsure how he would vote on the resolution while expressing frustration with the broader spate of pro-Israel resolutions that have hit the floor in recent months.
“I have to admit, I’m kind of over the weekly stuff that they’re putting out there that means nothing,” said Pocan, saying he was unsure whether to “start doing ‘present’ votes on stupid things, or just vote ‘no’ on stupid things, or just say ‘yes’ because they’re stupid things.”
Last week, the House voted on a resolution affirming Israel’s right to exist, with Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky voting against it and Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan voting “present.”
Massie was also the lone GOP vote against Tuesday’s resolution, before which he posted a Drake meme that led one White House spokesman to accuse him of “virulent antisemitism.”
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) December 5, 2023
Nonetheless, 95 Democrats voted for the resolution anyway, including Rep. Greg Landsman of Ohio, one of more than two dozen Jewish House members.
“It is of course fine to criticize any government, including Israel’s,” Landsman told Business Insider. “But I do believe that denying Jews a state is antisemitic, so I plan to vote for the bill. There are misunderstandings about antisemitism and a lack of appreciation for its rise. I hope my explanation helps folks better navigate all of this.”
This article will be updated with a list of lawmakers who voted against the resolution when a full tally becomes available via the House Clerk.