House Democrat: Progressives’ Silence on Rising Antisemitism Is ‘Deafening’ 

A man wearing a kippah Jewish skullcap arrives at the synagogue in Halle, eastern Germany,
RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty Images
Joshua Caplan

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) on Monday criticized progressives for failing to adequately call out rising antisemitism in the United States in the wake of a bloody 11-day war started by Hamas against Israel.

“I’ll say the quiet part out loud; it’s time for ‘progressives’ to start condemning antisemitism and violent attacks on Jewish people with the same intention and vigor demonstrated in other areas of activism,” Phillips, who is Jewish and represents a battleground district, wrote on Twitter. “The silence has been deafening.”

Attacks on Jews have surged during the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas and have continued even after a ceasefire was reached last week. According to the Washington Post, over two dozen antisemitic incidents, which include multiple physical attacks, have occurred since the conflict reignited. In Los Angeles, a Democrat stronghold, volunteer armed patrols have begun accompanying Jews who attend synagogue. Further, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has increased its presence.

Far-left Democrat lawmakers such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) and Rashida Tlaib (MI) have been accused of inflaming antisemitic sentiments with their singling out of Israel, prompting pointed criticism from some Republicans.

Rep. Michael Walz (R-FL) took aim at the “Squad” members by putting up  “I stand with Israel” posters in Ocasio-Cortez’s  hallway in a message to what the House Republican called the “Hamas Caucus.”

“It’s absolutely astonishing that we have members of Congress attempting to equate Israel’s right to defend itself to the terrorist attacks being orchestrated by Iran-backed Hamas,” Waltz recently told Fox News. “Americans need to hold firm in reminding our country that we stand with our strongest ally in the Middle East and remind the newly formed Hamas Caucus that these fringe views will not be accepted in Congress.”

Amid Republican criticism, Ocasio-Cortez finally condemned rising antisemitism, tweeting: “We will never, ever tolerate antisemitism here in NY or anywhere in the world. The recent surge in attacks is horrifying. We stand with our Jewish communities in condemning this violence.”

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