Democrats are, once again, delaying decisions on their stance towards Israel.
On Thursday, DNC members dismissed a symbolic proposal aimed at curbing the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and other dark-money groups in Democratic primaries. This decision, although expected, is a setback for those in the party angered by the pro-Israel group’s recent political involvements.
In addition, they postponed action on two significant resolutions addressing Middle East conflicts, which urged the party to consider tying military aid to Israel to certain conditions. These proposals were sent to the newly formed Middle East Working Group, which is convening for its fourth meeting this week and has yet to solidify its agenda.
Despite the low expectations for their passage, the decisions highlight a party establishment still struggling with how to address the increasingly complex politics involving Israel and AIPAC, alongside their base’s growing discontent with the longstanding U.S. ally.
The resolution concerning AIPAC sought for the DNC to denounce “the growing influence of dark money” in Democratic elections, specifically mentioning the pro-Israel organization that has invested tens of millions of dollars in recent primaries. Some members of the DNC’s resolutions committee reported voting against it because they had already approved a separate resolution during the meeting that broadly condemned dark money’s influence in the midterms without singling out specific groups.
Allison Minnerly, a Democrat from Florida who proposed the AIPAC resolution, argued that there is “merit to calling out different PACs with intention.” She stated that “Democrats overwhelmingly want a party that stands for human rights and against increased conflict in the Middle East.”
