On Thursday, January 27, 1944, Rep. James Wright – a Texas Democrat – and Rep. Ranulf Compton – a Connecticut Republican – introduced the Wright-Compton Resolution, which called on the United States to use its good offices to support free Jewish immigration to Palestine and for the reconstitution of that country as a Jewish commonwealth.
Five days later, Senator Robert F. Wagner – a New York Democrat – and Senator Robert Taft Jr. – an Ohio Republican – introduced an identical resolution in the Senate. Although snipping between Republicans and Democrats is customary, on this issue they spoke with one voice.
One month after the Jewish state was established on May 14, 1948, Republicans declared the following: “We welcome Israel into the family of nations and take pride in the fact that the Republican Party was the first to call for the establishment of a free and independent Jewish Commonwealth.”
Not to be outdone, Democrats incorporated this into their platform: “We pledge full recognition to the State of Israel. We affirm our pride that the United States under the leadership of President Truman played a leading role in the adoption of the resolution of November 29, 1947, by the United Nations General Assembly for the creation of a Jewish State.”
For most of its history, Israel knew it could depend on both Republicans and Democrats for support. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. As Caroline Glick noted in a recent article, Democrats “are abandoning Israel in droves.” Don’t believe it? Look at a poll taken by the Pew Research Center this past January. Since 2001 the share of Republicans sympathizing more with Israel than the Palestinians has increased by 29 percentage points – from 50 percent to 79 percent. During this same period, though, Democrat support has fallen from 38 percent to 27 percent. Meanwhile, nearly three times as many Republicans (52 percent) as Democrats (18 percent) have favorable impressions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
These numbers are easily buttressed by the two parties’ recent presidential platforms. In 2008, the Democrats resolved that “Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel” but quickly followed that with: “Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations.” Republicans meanwhile countered unambiguously at their convention with: “We support Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel and moving the American embassy to that undivided capital of Israel.”
Four years later, turmoil reigned at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. There was widespread opposition to mention of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital – which was removed from the party platform and then clumsily reinstated the next day against the will of the delegates (videos of the vote are available online) for fear of alienating Jewish and evangelical donors.
At their 2012 convention, in contrast, Republicans unequivocally stated: “We support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state with secure, defensible borders; and envision two democratic states, Israel with Jerusalem as its capital and Palestine living in peace and security.”
If anyone doubted the Democrats’ shift away from Israel, the last presidential convention in 2016 should have put an end to them. Both Bernie Sanders – a devout socialist – and his broad following adopted what he deemed a more “evenhanded” treatment of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Sanders appointed James Zogby, president and founder of the American Arab Institute, to sit on the Drafting Committee along with two other virulent anti-Israel Democrats, Hank Johnson, who had previously referred to Israelis as “termites,” and Dr. Cornell West, who wasted no time denouncing what he termed “Israeli occupation of the West Bank.”
Israel was further vilified by riotous supporters of Sanders outside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia who flew Palestinian flags, chanted “Long live the intifada,” and topped the evening off by burning an Israeli flag.
Were they representative of the entire Democrat party? No, the party still has a more moderate wing, but it’s irrefutable that the far left is steering the Democratic boat and that boat is moving further and further away from Israel.
In light of all these facts, is it really any wonder that not one elected or notable Democrat flew to Israel two weeks ago for the historic opening of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem?