Senator John Fetterman said he would consider leaving the Democratic Party if it ever became "the anti-Israel party," as more than 100 House lawmakers backed halting military aid to the Middle Eastern ally over its incursions into Gaza and Lebanon.
Fetterman's Warning at Hill and NewsNation Event
The Pennsylvania senator, who has emerged as one of Israel's most prominent advocates among Senate Democrats, spoke on Wednesday at an event organized by The Hill and NewsNation. He expressed concern that the Democratic Party might back away from its traditional support for Israel amid accusations that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government committed genocide in Gaza.
"My long-term concern has been with the Democratic Party, as I am a member of that, is that our party is going to back away and turn their back to Israel," Fetterman said. Nodding to recent primary victories by candidates who oppose aid to Israel, he added: "I've described that if our party ever becomes … the anti-Israel party, you know, that's when I would leave." "That's been a moral clarity for me," he said.
Fetterman's Stance on Party Loyalty
While acknowledging some attempts by Republicans to convince him to switch sides, Fetterman said he otherwise had no interest in doing so because he disagreed with the majority of GOP policies. "I've been very clear. I am never changing my party, except for that one condition that we just discussed," Fetterman said. "If I was going to, I would have already done that."
House Democrats Vote to Halt Military Aid
Fetterman spoke on the same day 103 House Democrats voted for an unsuccessful bid to halt $3.3bn in aid for Israel, the majority of which would be for its military. The Wednesday afternoon vote amounted to a significant rebuke of US policy towards the country, with some longstanding supporters of defense assistance for Israel saying they could no longer justify sending it weapons.
"The American people are rightly demanding an end to a perpetual cycle of war, and the Netanyahu government cannot maintain its current course," said Democratic former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who voted yes "for the message that it sends."
Previous Senate Votes on Israel Aid
In April, a majority of Democratic senators voted for two attempts by independent Bernie Sanders to block the sale of bombs and bulldozers to Israel. Fetterman rejected both measures.
