Democratic Convention Proceedings Expose Rank and File Split on Israel

September 05, 2012

Jerusalem Fight Underscores the "Israel Gap" in this Election

(September 5, 2012) The Republican Jewish Coalition notes with grave concern that delegates to the Democratic Convention voiced significant opposition to efforts to amend the party platform so as to reinstate pro-Israel language from previous years.

Rank and file Democrats expressed strong opposition to a resolution to reinstate pro-Israel language that had been removed from the 2012 platform, forcing convention chairman Antonio Villaraigosa to call the voice vote three times. Each time the "No's" were noticeably stronger; in fact, CNN reporter Dana Bush was quoted as saying, "It seemed pretty to clear to me that the 'No's' had it." (1)

There were loud boos from the convention floor when the chairman overruled the delegates and announced that the resolution passed.

 

See video of the vote and response here.

 

RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said, "This is a very sad day. To hear delegates on the floor of the Democratic convention strongly voice their opposition to recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, then boo when the chairman passes the resolution to adopt that language, is a shock.

 

Brooks continued, "This unfortunate incident highlights the split among rank and file Democrats when it comes to the critical issue of Israel, something we've seen for some time. Gallup polling has shown that Republicans have been consistently more likely to support Israel than Democrats for over a decade.(2) It is painful to see that demonstrated so clearly in this national forum."

 

Notes:

 

(1)  https://twitter.com/RalstonFlash/status/243459182169309184

 

(2) According to a Gallup poll released on March 2, 2012, "Republicans continue to be far more likely than independents or Democrats to sympathize with the Israelis."  In that poll, Republican support for Israel was 78 percent while Democrat support was at 53 percent, a 25-point difference. The graph at the link shows the deep split in Republican/Democrat support for Israel over time. http://www.gallup.com/poll/153092/americans-continue-tilt-pro-israel.aspx