Pro-Israel Democrats gain key House foreign policy roles

Three pro-Israel Democrats have been tapped for influential roles on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, a move that has drawn criticism from progressive and Muslim advocacy groups as Democratic voters show growing skepticism toward U.S. support for Israel.

Representative Jared Moskowitz of Florida was named the top Democrat on the committee’s Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, replacing Representative Brad Sherman of California. Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Wesley Bell of Missouri were also appointed to committee roles, with Al Jazeera reporting they will serve on the oversight and intelligence and Western Hemisphere subcommittees, respectively.

The selections give the three lawmakers positions on one of Congress’s central bodies for shaping U.S. foreign policy. They come after all three recently defeated progressive primary challengers who criticized their support for Israel. Moskowitz last week beat Oliver Larkin, an anti-Zionist democratic socialist challenger. Wasserman Schultz defeated 27-year-old Elijah Manley, who criticized her support for Israel and her acceptance of donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Bell defeated former Representative Cori Bush in a rematch after previously unseating her in a 2024 primary; Bush had been a vocal critic of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

Moskowitz said he would use the role to support Israel and U.S. alliances in the region. “At a moment of enormous change across the region, I’ll work to strengthen America’s relationships with Israel and our Gulf allies, expand regional peace, advance American diplomacy, and ensure our foreign policy is grounded in strength, security, and reality. I’m ready to get to work,” he wrote on social media.

He also told Axios that the position would become especially important if Democrats win control of the House in November’s midterm elections. “If Democrats take control of the House, I’ll be in a position to help steer US policy on Israel and the Middle East,” Moskowitz said.

The appointments arrive amid a widening divide among Democrats over Israel, Gaza and U.S. military aid. A Pew Research Center poll in March found that 60% of U.S. adults had an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 42% in 2022, according to Al Jazeera. The Guardian cited an April Pew poll showing the drop in support was especially pronounced among younger voters, with only older Republicans and white evangelicals showing majority favorable views of Israel.

A CNN and SSRS survey conducted last month found that 54% of respondents were open to candidates who would cut aid to Israel, rising to 70% among Democratic-leaning voters, Al Jazeera reported.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations said it was “deeply concerned” by the appointments, describing the three Democrats as among “the Israeli government’s most committed and consistent enablers.” Edward Ahmed Mitchell, CAIR’s national deputy director, called the move an “insult to American voters and a desperate attempt to shield the Israeli government from accountability.” In a separate statement cited by Al Jazeera, he said elevating supporters of funding Israel “indicates that key House leaders intend to openly defy the will of the American people, including Democrats.”

Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the first Palestinian American elected to Congress, also criticized the decision. “A supermajority of Democratic voters have made it clear they want to end U.S. support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza and Trump’s assault on Iran,” she told Al Jazeera. She accused Democratic leaders of “ignoring the base of our party who want the funding of the genocide to end.”

Former Obama deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes called the selections a “giant f*** you from Democratic leadership to Democratic voters,” writing on social media that the appointments signaled “disregard for war crimes and voter concerns.”

House Democrats also added Representative Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, a progressive critic of AIPAC, to the Foreign Affairs Committee. Al Jazeera reported that Pocan, described as pro-Palestinian, was named to the Africa Subcommittee.

Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, a senior Democrat involved in the selections and a supporter of Israel, defended the new lineup. He wrote that he looked forward to “working closely” with the committee’s new members, adding: “Their experience, commitment, and expertise will strengthen our work and help guide the committee as it addresses urgent challenges in national security and diplomacy.”