Israel faces growing opposition in Congress as progressive Democrats seek House seats

Their potential arrival in Washington comes as the Democratic Party continues to grapple with deepening divisions over Israel, particularly following the war in Gaza.

Lander recently made headlines in Israel after being detained by the IDF alongside approximately 60 activists who, according to the military, entered a closed military zone in Judea and Samaria. He had been participating in an olive harvest alongside Rabbis for Human Rights.

In a video filmed during the activity, Lander invoked Jewish tradition, quoting the biblical phrase "Bakesh shalom v'rodfehu" – seek peace and pursue it.

But his criticism of Israel extends well beyond the incident. In an interview with CBS News, Lander described what he said he had witnessed in the West Bank as "ethnic cleansing." Asked by CBS journalist Major Garrett how he could substantiate such a serious accusation, Lander responded: "I'm telling you, it is what I saw."

He also accused settlers of driving Palestinians out of villages in the Jordan Valley, claiming that homes had been burned one by one and that areas where 1,500 people once lived were now empty.

"Those are not the values that I was taught," Lander said. "When we say 'Never Again,' we mean never again to anyone, anywhere."

Lander is far from alone. Across the country, a number of progressive Democratic candidates are heading toward congressional victories while expressing positions that could put them at odds with the traditional pro-Israel wing of their party. The assumption is that at least seven congressmen will join the current seven congressmen forming the SQUAD.

In an interview, McKinney said that after the United Nations described the situation as genocide, he examined the definition himself and reached the same conclusion.

"Yeah, it is a genocide," he said.

Another candidate attracting attention is Delia Avila-Chevalier, a progressive Democrat running in New York's 13th district. Avila-Chevalier has spoken emotionally about the war in Gaza, describing the period following Israel's military response to the October 7 Hamas massacre as a deeply disturbing experience.

She said she spent time scrolling through images and names of Palestinians killed in Gaza, describing herself as feeling powerless while watching the events unfold.

As an American taxpayer, Avila-Chevalier argued, her ability to influence the conflict was through the way Washington spends American taxpayers' money.

"The thing that I have power over in this cycle of violence is where my government uses my tax dollar," she said, criticizing the US decision to continue funding and arming Israel.

Her political activism also includes involvement in the pro-Palestinian protest movement at Columbia University. She was among the activists involved in demonstrations on campus and participated in a pro-Palestinian rally on October 8, 2023, one day after the Hamas-led October 7 massacre.

In California, Angela Gonzales-Torres, another progressive candidate who participated in campus protests, has also advocated a significantly tougher approach toward Israel.

Asked in a podcast interview whether she supported ending US aid to Israel, imposing sanctions, and a free Palestine, Gonzales-Torres answered affirmatively.

She also described blocking weapons transfers to Israel as a minimum requirement, while arguing that support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement should be considered a basic position rather than a radical one.

"I think BDS is bare minimum," she said.

In New Jersey's 12th congressional district, Dr. Adam Hamawy, a physician who worked in Gaza during the war, is also expected to enter Congress. Hamawy has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide and has made his experiences in Gaza central to his political message.

"There's so few people that have been on the ground and felt that and seen what's happening and seen the actual genocide and taking care of the victims," he said.

Hamawy added that returning from Gaza convinced him that working as a doctor was not enough and that he needed to travel to Washington to challenge how American taxpayers' money was being used.

The candidates are part of a broader shift within the Democratic Party, where criticism of Israel has become increasingly prominent among progressive lawmakers and activists.

Several Democrats already serving in Congress have called for restrictions on military assistance to Israel, while some have gone further, accusing the Israeli government of genocide and demanding an end to unconditional US support.

"The idea of completely unconditional aid, no matter what one does, does not make sense," she said. "I think it enabled a genocide in Gaza."

For Israel, however, the significance of the incoming lawmakers may extend beyond the votes they cast on individual military assistance packages or resolutions.

The larger concern is the political message they could send to the next generation of Democratic leadership, particularly as the party begins positioning itself for the next presidential election.

If a growing number of Democratic candidates can win congressional seats while campaigning on platforms that include ending military aid to Israel, imposing sanctions, and supporting BDS, the next Democratic presidential nominee may face increasing pressure to adopt similar positions.

The concern in Jerusalem is that the debate over Israel within the Democratic Party is no longer limited to disagreements over the policies of a particular Israeli government or the conduct of a specific military campaign, or the question of whether the US should give assistance to Israel.

Instead, it could be evolving into a broader political test: whether a Democratic candidate can maintain a strong commitment to the US-Israel relationship without alienating an increasingly influential progressive electorate.