Growing Number Of Democrats Cave To Extremist Calls For A Ceasefire

Research | The Leader Board | THE NEWSROOM | Republican LeaderSkip to primary navigation Skip to content×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER McCONNELL×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER McCONNELLxxsearchxMENUFacebookTwitterInstagramFacebookTwitterInstagramVisit Senator McConnell's site here THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER McCONNELLxxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMThe Leader Board11.07.23Growing Number Of Democrats Cave To Extremist Calls For A CeasefireUnder Pressure From Loud Voices On The Far Left Of Their Party, President Biden, Members Of His Administration, And Prominent Congressional Democrats Are Beginning To Call On Israel For A Ceasefire In Their War Against Hamas TerroristsSENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “Headlines are already warning about the indiscernible ‘cycle of violence’ and amplifying morally bankrupt calls for a ceasefire. For anyone who needs a reminder, a ceasefire is what Israel thought it had with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad earlier this summer. A ceasefire today is an amnesty for Hamas. A free pass for terrorists from the same savage tribe as ISIS and al Qaeda. So, less than [one month] after the deadliest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust, too many prominent corners of our society already need a reminder of the terrorist horrors that actually started the war.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 10/25/2023)LEADER McCONNELL: “[A] growing number of our Senate colleagues … have called for a ceasefire in today’s terrorist war. I would remind our colleagues that Israel had negotiated a ceasefire with Hamas over the summer. And we all saw where that led on October 7th. Returning to any such arrangement right now would be amnesty for the butchers of innocent Israelis and Gazans, alike. Once again, let’s remember who the aggressor is. Hamas is blocking citizens from leaving Gaza city. Hamas has intentionally put its weapons caches inside schools, hospitals, and mosques, and its firing positions in the midst of civilian populations. Hamas has poured countless billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance into its terror tunnels. [T]hese people are not freedom fighters. They do not want “peaceful coexistence”. They are savages, cut from the same cloth as ISIS and al-Qaeda. There is no room for moral equivalency. The distinction between good and evil here is blindingly obvious…. American politicians who cannot bring themselves to acknowledge [this] should be ashamed.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 11/06/2023)LEADER McCONNELL: “Today, Americans are once again being held hostage by forces aligned with Iranian tyranny. Many more Israelis are being held alongside them. And Israel deserves the time, space, and support it needs to bring their terrorist captors to justice. In the days immediately following October 7th, I warned that President Biden would be pressured to withhold this support, and that familiar and morally bankrupt calls for ceasefire would threaten Israel’s ability to see its defensive operations through. But here we are, nearly a month later, watching the movement to grant Hamas amnesty reach the highest levels of our government. [W]ar is a bloody business. That is the reality Israel faces. We should be careful before second-guessing their efforts to get innocent Israelis – and Americans – home safely, and to destroy Hamas’ ability to wage war.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 11/06/2023)Significant Numbers Of Prominent Democrats Are Already Losing Their Nerve, Falling In Line With Extremists Calling For A CeasefirePresident Biden: ‘I Think We Need A Pause’“President Joe Biden said he thought there should be a humanitarian ‘pause’ in the Israel-Hamas war, after his campaign speech Wednesday evening was interrupted by a protester calling for a cease-fire. ‘I think we need a pause,’ Biden said.” (“Biden Calls For Humanitarian ‘Pause’ In Israel-Hamas War,” The Associated Press, 11/01/2023)“‘I think we need a pause,’ Biden said in response to a question from a protester who interrupted him at a campaign reception in Minnesota. Asked to clarify what a pause meant, he said: ‘A pause means give time to get the prisoners out. Give time.’” (“Biden Calls For A ‘Pause’ In Israel-Hamas War To ‘Get The Prisoners Out,’” NBC News, 11/01/2023)“President Biden in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday raised the possibility of a ‘tactical pause’ in the fighting in Gaza, the White House said in a statement…. Netanyahu has so far rejected calls for a humanitarian pause, saying any temporary ceasefire agreement must include the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.” (“Biden Raises Possible ‘Tactical Pause’ In Gaza Fighting With Netanyahu,” Axios, 11/06/2023)Some Biden Administration Officials Have Spent Weeks Criticizing The Israeli Response To Hamas’ Brutal Attack, While Others Are Outright Demanding A Ceasefire“As Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza escalates, the Biden administration finds itself in a precarious position: Administration officials say Israel’s counterattack against Hamas has been too severe … U.S. efforts to get Israel to scale back its counterattack in response to the Oct. 7 killings by Hamas that left at least 1,400 Israelis dead have failed or fallen short. The Biden administration urged Israel against a ground invasion, privately asked it to consider proportionality in its attacks, advocated a higher priority on avoiding civilian deaths, and called for a humanitarian pause …” (“White House Frustrated By Israel’s Onslaught But Sees Few Options,” The Washington Post, 11/05/2023)“President Joe Biden and his top advisers are warning Israel with growing force that it will become increasingly difficult for it to pursue its military goals in Gaza as global outcry intensifies …” (“US Warns Israel Amid Gaza Carnage It Doesn’t Have Long Before Support Erodes,” CNN, 11/03/2023)“State Department staffers offered a blistering critique of the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war in a dissent memo obtained by POLITICO, arguing that, among other things, the U.S. should be willing to publicly criticize the Israelis…. The memo has two key requests: that the U.S. support a ceasefire, and that it balance its private and public messaging toward Israel, including airing criticisms of Israeli military tactics and treatment of Palestinians that the U.S. generally prefers to keep private.” (“U.S. Diplomats Slam Israel Policy In Leaked Memo,” Politico, 11/06/2023)“A growing number of officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development are supporting a letter urging President Biden to push for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas … The letter, dated Friday, has been endorsed by more than 630 employees, according to one of its co-authors …” (“USAID Staffers Urge Biden To Push Israel Toward ‘Immediate Cease-Fire,’” The Washington Post, 11/04/2023)Democrats In Congress Are Increasingly Echoing Far-Left Demands For A Ceasefire“Democratic lawmakers are growing increasingly vocal in criticizing Israel’s expanding ground offensive in Gaza, with some calling for more action to address the worsening humanitarian situation.” (“Congressional Democrats Grow Critical Of Israel’s War Effort,” Axios, 11/04/2023)“Four House Democrats from across the party’s ideological spectrum told Axios that they expect more calls from their colleagues for a pause, a rethinking of the Israeli war effort or even a ceasefire. ‘The political ground has begun to shift as the attention goes from the causes of the war to the means by which the war is being prosecuted,’ said one member.” (“Congressional Democrats Grow Critical Of Israel’s War Effort,” Axios, 11/04/2023)“Nearly 60 House and Senate Democrats signed a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken released Friday night urging him to press the Israeli government to do more to limit civilian casualties. The letter called for Blinken to advocate more forcefully for the ‘humanitarian pauses…’” (“Congressional Democrats Grow Critical Of Israel’s War Effort,” Axios, 11/04/2023)“It’s a considerable shift from the largely unified support Israel enjoyed from across the U.S. political spectrum in the immediate aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that killed at least 1,400 Israelis.” (“Congressional Democrats Grow Critical Of Israel’s War Effort,” Axios, 11/04/2023)CNN’s POPPY HARLOW: “Is a ceasefire needed now?”SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): “I think it is. At least under -- in the context of both sides agreeing. For example, the release of those who have been kidnapped should be a part of this. Immediate release. That should be the beginning of it. An effort should be made to engage in conversation between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Let’s face it, this has gone on for decades.” (CNN’s ‘CNN This Morning, 11/02/2023)“U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), together with Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), released the following statement: … Thus, we join President Biden in his call for a short-term cessation of hostilities that pose high-risk to civilians, aid workers or humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza…” (Sen. Warner, Press Release, 11/02/2023)SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): “I urge Israel to immediately reconsider its approach…” (Sen. Murphy, Press Release, 11/02/2023)SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA): “Israel is obligated under the laws of war to protect civilians. It is not possible to end Hamas’s terrorism by just dropping more bombs. Israel needs to stop bombing Gaza. We need an immediate humanitarian pause to save lives, get relief in, and free the hostages.” (Sen. Warren, @SenWarren, Twitter, 11/03/2023)SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): “Mr. President, the situation in Gaza today is a disaster. Congress must take action. The administration must take action. The world must take action…. There must be a humanitarian pause now … A stop to the bombing is critical to save innocent lives and secure the safe return of hostages…. [T]he immediate crisis is to save lives, to stop the bombing, to bring forth a humanitarian pause …” (Sen. Sanders, Congressional Record, S.5272-5274, 11/01/2023)SEN. JOHN HICKENLOOPER (D-CO): “… the toll in civilian deaths in Gaza makes clear we urgently need a humanitarian pause.” (Sen. John Hickenlooper, @SenatorHick, Twitter, 11/04/2023)“Senate Foreign Relations Committee member BRIAN SCHATZ (D-Hawaii) questioned Israel’s goal of eliminating every member of Hamas during an interview with NatSec Daily.” (“Senate Dems Up Pressure On Israel To Shift Course,” Politico’s National Security Daily 11/03/2023)Democrats Now Calling For A Ceasefire Are Shamefully Acquiescing To The Same Extreme Voices In Their Party Who Rejected Israel’s Right To Defend Itself In The Immediate Aftermath Of Hamas’ Terrorist Assault “…Squad members’ reactions to Hamas’ attack included decrying the ‘cycle of violence’ between Israelis and Palestinians and demanding an end to U.S. military assistance to Israel.” (“‘Squad’ Comments On Hamas Reignite Dems’ Israel Tensions,” Axios, 10/11/2023)“[Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI)] did not directly condemn Hamas in her statement the day after the Palestinian militant group launched surprise cross-border raids from Gaza on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people and taking hundreds of hostages.” (“Democratic Rep. Tlaib Accuses Biden Of Supporting Palestinian ‘Genocide’ And Warns Of Political Ramifications,” CNN, 11/04/2023)TLAIB: “I grieve the Palestinian and Israeli lives lost yesterday, today, and every day. I am determined as ever to fight for a just future where everyone can live in peace, without fear and with true freedom, equal rights, and human dignity … The path to that future must include lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance. The failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege, occupation, and apartheid makes no one safer.” (“Democratic Rep. Tlaib Accuses Biden Of Supporting Palestinian ‘Genocide’ And Warns Of Political Ramifications,” CNN, 11/04/2023)“Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan on [November 6] accused President Joe Biden of supporting a Palestinian ‘genocide’ and warned that Americans will remember when he’s up for reelection next year how he responded to the Israel-Hamas war.” (“Democratic Rep. Tlaib Accuses Biden Of Supporting Palestinian ‘Genocide’ And Warns Of Political Ramifications,” CNN, 11/04/2023)“Tlaib posted a video … [that] included pro-Palestinian protesters chanting ‘from the river to the sea’ — a reference to the land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River which encompasses Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. The full phrase — ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ — has long been associated with Palestinian resistance … The slogan has also been adopted by Hamas, a terrorist organization whose constitution explicitly seeks to destroy Israel.” (“Tlaib Sparks Democratic Backlash With Defense Of Palestinian Chant,” Axios, 11/06/2023)“Reps. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) are circulating a statement saying they ‘reject’ the use of the phrase and calling it a ‘rallying cry for the destruction of the State of Israel and genocide of the Jewish people.’ … Tlaib’s Jewish colleagues are particularly perturbed. ‘I think Tlaib said from the river to the sea doesn’t mean wiping out Israel. Well, that’s what it means,’ Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) told Axios. ‘You can piss on my leg, but don’t tell me it’s rain.’” (“Tlaib Sparks Democratic Backlash With Defense Of Palestinian Chant,” Axios, 11/06/2023)REP. CORI BUSH (D-MO): “I am heartbroken by the ongoing violence in Palestine and Israel, and I mourn the over 250 Israeli and 230 Palestinian lives that have been lost today, and the thousands injured, following attacks by Hamas militants on Israeli border towns and Israeli military bombardment of Gaza.” (Rep. Bush, @RepCori, Twitter, 10/07/2023)BUSH: “As part of achieving a just and lasting peace, we must do our part to stop this violence and trauma by ending U.S. government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid.” (Rep. Bush, @RepCori, Twitter, 10/07/2023) ‘“Sen. Ed Markey stood atop the Boston Common bandstand Monday and denounced Hamas’ ‘heinous attacks’ on Israel to cheers from the crowd that had assembled on the grassy expanse below. Then he called for a ‘de-escalation of the current violence’ from both sides of the burgeoning conflict. A chorus of boos rang out, continuing for nearly half a minute and twice interrupting Markey’s attempts to finish his speech at the rally in solidarity with Israel.” (“Massachusetts Democrats Divided On Israel,” Politico, 10/10/2023)“Rep. Ilhan Omar elicited outrage Monday with a public entreaty for the US to shift from giving Israel ‘unconditional weapons sales and military aid’ to diplomacy. Omar (D-Minn.), a member of the so-called ‘Squad,’ also harped on the plight of the Palestinians and suggested that Israel’s retaliation against terrorist group Hamas might be a ‘war crime.’” (“Ilhan Omar Stokes Outrage With Plea Against Sending US Weapons To Back ‘War Crime’ In Israel,” New York Post, 10/09/2023)REP. AYANNA PRESSLEY (D-MA): “These devastating attacks on Israelis are deeply alarming and my heart breaks for the victims & their loved ones. We need an immediate ceasefire & de-escalation. It is long past time to stop this cycle of violence & trauma, and work toward a just & lasting peace in the region.” (Rep. Pressley, @RepPressley, Twitter, 10/07/2023)REP ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): “[T]his violence will not solve the ongoing oppression and occupation in the region. An immediate ceasefire and de-escalation is urgently needed to save lives.” (Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, @RepAOC, Twitter, 10/07/2023)Indeed, These Same Members Signed On To A Resolution Introduced In The House Barely A Week After The Hamas Massacre Calling For A Ceasefire17 House Democrats are cosponsoring a resolution offered by Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) demanding the administration “immediately call for and facilitate … a cease-fire …” (H.Res.786, 118th Congress)Cosponsors: Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Andre Carson (D-IN), Summer Lee (D-PA), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Johnathan Jackson (D-IL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ayanna Presley (D-MA), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Pramilia Jayapal (D-WA), Greg Casar (D-TX), Alma Adams (D-NC), and Maxwell Frost (D-FL) (H.Res.786, 118th Congress)A Week Later, These Extreme Far-Left Democrats Even Refused To Support A Resolution Reaffirming Israel’s Right To Self-Defense And Condemning The Hamas AttacksWhen the House passed a resolution saying it “stands with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists … reaffirms Israel’s right to self-defense [and] condemns Hamas’ brutal war against Israel,” 10 House Democrats voted ‘NO’ and 6 more would only vote ‘Present.’ (H.Res.771, Roll Call Vote #528: Motion agreed to 412-10: R 218-1; D 194-9, 10/25/2023)‘No’ votes: Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Cori Bush (D-MO), Andre Carson (D-IN), Al Green (D-TX), Summer Lee (D-PA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). (H.Res.771, Roll Call Vote #528: Motion agreed to 412-10: R 218-1; D 194-9, 10/25/2023; Bowman, Bush, Carson, Green, Lee, Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Ramirez, and Tlaib voted No)‘Present’ votes: Reps. Greg Casar (D-TX), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Pramilia Jayapal (D-WA), Ayanna Presley (D-MA), and Nydia Velazquez (D-NY). (H.Res.771, Roll Call Vote #528: Motion agreed to 412-10: R 218-1; D 194-9, 10/25/2023; Casar, Castro, Garcia, Jayapal, Presley, and Velazquez voted Present)Meanwhile, Former President Barack Obama Doubled Down On His Infamous Hostility To IsraelFORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “If you want to solve the problem, then you have to take in the whole truth. And you then have to admit nobody’s hands are clean, that all of us are complicit to some degree…” (Politico, 11/05/2023)“The sentiment appears to go against decades of U.S. orthodoxy staunchly backing Israel, even among Democratic leaders in Washington…” (Politico, 11/05/2023)“It’s also the second time that Obama has spoken out against the Israel-Hamas war with a message emphasizing shared culpability.” (Politico, 11/05/2023)“Former U.S. President Barack Obama warned that any actions by Israel that ignore the human cost of the war against Hamas ‘could ultimately backfire.’” (“Obama Warns Israel’s Actions In Gaza Could ‘Backfire,’” Politico, 10/24/2023)“The former president had a famously strained relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who he clashed with over the US-Iran nuclear deal and Israel’s expansion of settlements in the region disputed by Palestinians.” (“Obama Says Both Sides To Blame For Israel-Hamas Conflict: ‘Nobody’s Hands Are Clean,’” New York Post, 11/05/2023)###SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTERRelated Issues: Israel, Senate Democrats, House DemocratsPrintEmailTweetPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER McCONNELLFacebookTwitterInstagram