President Biden is confronting internal dissent within his own party due to his pro-Israel stance, with Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., challenging voters to consider the consequences of supporting an alternative candidate, as reported in a Sunday column.
Fetterman drew parallels between the tepid Democratic support for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and the current presidential election. Notably, he urged young voters to think about the potential implications of backing a candidate who might grant Netanyahu even greater autonomy.
In a conversation with Politico columnist Jonathan Martin, Fetterman emphasized that he had issued a similar warning to voters in 2016, cautioning them about the unforeseen outcomes of disregarding Clinton for Trump.
In contrast to many fellow party members, the Pennsylvania senator has consistently expressed robust support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas. Fetterman’s stance differs significantly from that of several progressive Democrats in Congress, a position he reaffirmed in January during a leadership luncheon in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center.
Fetterman questioned the focus of demonstrators targeting Israel worldwide, asking why they weren’t protesting against Hamas or addressing issues like the hostage situation, systemic rape, and torture of Israeli women and children.
Politico’s Jonathan Martin cautioned Democrats about the potential threat from the left in Biden’s anticipated rematch with former President Trump, emphasizing the risk of losing votes in key areas due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Biden’s recent speeches have been repeatedly disrupted by protesters critical of his support for Israel, with chants like “Genocide Joe,” “Free Gaza,” and “Stop funding genocide.”
The debate over the U.S. response to the October 7 attacks on Israel has deepened the divide within the Democratic Party, reflecting in polls among Arab Americans. Some polls, including one by James Zogby of the Arab American Institute in October, indicate a significant decline in Biden’s support among Arab Americans, dropping to 17 percent from 59 percent in 2020. Additionally, two-thirds of Arab Americans surveyed expressed a negative view of Biden’s response to the violence in Israel and Gaza.