Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar Among 9 Dems Who Voted Against Pro-Israel Resolution

Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, N.Y., and Ilhan Omar, Minn., were among 9 Democrats who voted against a House resolution on Tuesday that certified U.S. support of Israel.

The House voted 412-9 bipartisan vote, to pass the resolution backing Israel ahead of Israeli President Isaac Herzog's address to Congress on Wednesday. The vote, crafted by Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, came after Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., ignited a firestorm by calling Israel a "racist state" during a panel last weekend.

Ahead of Tuesday's vote, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., tweeted, “It should be an easy vote. Will Dems stand with our ally or capitulate to the anti-Semitic radicals in their party?”

Ocasio-Cortez and Omar were joined in the vote against the measure by fellow Squad members Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Mass, Rashida Tlaib, Mich., Jamaal Bowman, N.Y., Cori Bush, Mo., and Summer Lee, Pa. Democratic Reps. André Carson, Ind., and Delia Ramirez, Ill., also voted against the measure.

“If the Republican Party was actually committed in the fight against antisemitism, they wouldn’t be inviting someone that has trafficked in antisemitism just this past week,” Ocasio-Cortez told The Messenger, referring to recent comments made by RFK Jr. “This just highlights the cynicism that they’re using in order to weaponize a very serious problem in this country.”

Jayapal apologized for her weekend comments, posting a statement on Twitter that said, "Words do matter and so it is important that I clarify my statement. I do not believe the idea of Israel as a nation is racist."

GOP lawmakers, however, did not take her words lightly, calling them "unacceptable" and "antisemitic." Although, Jayapal wasn't mentioned in the resolution's text, statements from Republicans supporting the resolution made it clear it was a direct response to what she said.

Many Democrats also condemned Jayapal's comments.

The resolution comes ahead of Herzog's speech before Congress on Wednesday and come after a recent phone call with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where President Joe Biden invited him for a meeting.

Omar told the Messenger there was "no way in hell" she would be in attendance for Herzog's speech. She also defended Jayapal, telling Democrats to accept her apology and "move on."

"Rep. Jayapal apologized for her wording," Omar tweeted. "Dem leaders should accept that and move on, not join the GOP in continuing to shame her."