Critic Argues Hakeem Jeffries Should Not Become House Speaker Over His Record on Israel

The article, a NationofChange opinion piece, argues that members of Congress should examine Hakeem Jeffries’s record before he becomes Speaker, and it focuses heavily on his positions on Israel. It describes him as a “staunch defender of the U.S.-Israel alliance.” It cites a 2014 pro-Israel rally, during Israel’s military assault on Gaza, where Jeffries proclaimed, “Israel today, Israel tomorrow, Israel forever!” It also cites a 2020 AIPAC conference where he said New Yorkers consider Jerusalem their “sixth borough.” The article says this remark disregarded “the plight of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.”

The article says that even as Israel’s conduct in Gaza, which it calls a “genocide,” drew worldwide outrage, Jeffries continued to resist calls to end U.S. military support. It reports that in July 2026, 103 House Democrats, including the party’s second-ranking House leader, Katherine Clark, voted to cut $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel. According to the article, Jeffries joined 97 other Democrats and nearly every Republican in voting to preserve the funding.

The article also cites a May 2024 “60 Minutes” interview. Asked whether Israel’s bombing of Gaza had been indiscriminate, Jeffries said no. The article notes that by then nearly 35,000 Palestinians had been killed. When the interviewer said, “You seem reluctant to criticize Israel at all,” Jeffries responded, “I’m dealing with the facts on the ground.”

According to the article, Jeffries has not cosponsored the Block the Bombs Act, which would restrict transfers of some of the deadliest offensive weapons to Israel, including 2,000-pound bombs, bunker busters, precision-guidance kits, and tank and artillery rounds. The article reports that as of November 2026 the bill has 82 Democratic cosponsors and the endorsement of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and that Caucus Chair Greg Casar has pledged to push for a floor vote if Democrats regain the majority. The article notes that Jeffries has not signed on, and that as Speaker he would have significant power over whether the bill receives a vote. Protecting civilians from such weapons is the concern at the heart of this criticism (Proverbs 31:8-9).

The article states that while Jeffries has acknowledged U.S. policy toward Israel needs to change, he continues to support Israel’s military superiority and joint missile-defense programs. It says he has refused to condemn Section 219 of the NDAA, which it describes as a measure that would further integrate U.S. and Israeli military research, technology, and production. The article also notes that Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have recently suggested the U.S. should stop giving Israel nearly $4 billion a year because “Israel doesn’t need it,” and it observes that the author has not heard a similar call from Jeffries.

Turning to campaign money, the article reports that during the 2026 election cycle, Jeffries’s campaign reportedly received approximately $212,000 from military PACs. It frames this as part of a broader concern about ties to the military-industrial complex, though it does not present the PAC figure as specifically tied to Israel.

The article concludes that Jeffries’s position on Israel “cannot be separated from his longstanding political relationship with the AIPAC lobby.”

Source: Read the original report