Introduction: This material is not intended to stimulate or shape discourse around the complex
Israel/Palestine conflict. Democrats have diverse opinions on the subject. Rather these select talking
points are intended to be used a tool for canvassers and callers to engage with voters who
may be dissatisfied with President Biden’s handling of the Middle East crisis — whether they
think he has been too supportive of Israel or not supportive enough. In addition, some may
express concern about rising antisemitism. We Democrats should always lead with issues that
are likely to sway voters in our direction, such as reproductive freedom, and only respond on
the Middle East and antisemitism if raised by voters. Explain to them that not voting for Biden
as a protest is a vote for Trump and four additional years of chaos and extremism. Never forget
that democracy itself is on the ballot.
Voters who believe Biden does not support Israel enough
• Biden is first self-declared Zionist president who has shown unwavering and consistent support for
Israel since first elected senator in 1972 [Zionism is the national liberation movement of the
Jewish people]
• Biden was first president to visit Israel during wartime just days after the brutal Hamas assault on
Israelis and foreign nationals in communities near the Gaza Strip October 7 (compared to Trump,
a neo-isolationist, convicted felon, narcissist who only acts out of self-interest. John Bolton,
Trump’s national security advisor said Trump’s support for Israel can’t be guaranteed in a second
term)
Since October 7, the administration has:
• worked tirelessly to achieve release of all the hostages and succeeded in getting some 100
released last November
• worked with our regional allies, the G-7 countries, and UNSC to adopt a three-stage process that
would get all hostages released, end the war, and create a non-Hamas security and governance
system in Gaza. Hamas’ terrorist rule would be ended once and for all
• consistently vetoed one-sided anti-Israel resolutions in the UNSC
• found ways to quietly deliver over 100 vital military assistance sales to Israel despite Republicans
holding up the supplemental aid package to Israel and Ukraine for six months
• deployed two aircraft carriers to the eastern Mediterranean immediately after October 7 to deter
Iran and Hezbollah after Biden famously declared “Don’t!” as a warning to Israel’s enemies not to
take advantage of the situation
• coordinated with multiple countries including Arab allies in the successful defense of Israel against
Iran’s April 13, 2024, ballistic missile and drone attack using American military assets. Biden’s
vast foreign policy expertise that made such a response possible contrasts with Trump. Trump’s
former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said of his boss: “Trump’s understanding of global events
and history was really limited. It’s really hard to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t
even understand the concept of why we’re talking about this.”
• continued to put economic pressure on Iran by keeping sanctions placed by the Trump
administration and adding more to them, and refused to lift terrorist designation on Iran
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as Iranian condition for reentering the JCPOA (Iran is closer to
nuclear weapons capability because Trump withdrew from JCPOA against advice of Israeli
security officials/ this imperfect deal was better than no deal)
Voters who believe Biden supports Israel too much
Since October 7, the administration has:
• continued to insist that the Palestinians are entitled to dignity and independence through a state of
their own alongside Israel, in contrast to Republicans who never talk about the two-state outcome
• understood the complexities of the situation and at times openly criticized Israeli government
policies and actions, unlike Republicans who never criticize Israeli policies simply because they
think that will win them votes
• while endorsing Israel’s legitimate right of self-defense, did not let Israel do everything it might
have wanted to do in the military campaign and constantly pushed for greater protection of
Palestinian civilians under difficult conditions [note: Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar described
Palestinian civilians as “necessary sacrifices”]
• paused a military shipment to Israel of offensive weapons (large bombs), seen by many in the pro-
Israel community as crossing a redline, as a means of forcing Israel to create a credible plan to
relocate and protect Palestinian civilians in Rafah
• pressured Israel to open more crossings into Gaza for humanitarian assistance and surged food,
water and medicine, including via air drops from American aircraft
Antisemitism
Biden and Democrats:
• There are antisemites in Democratic party, but they are marginalized and repudiated by leadership
• On May 2, Biden in major speech declared no place for antisemitism on campuses and anywhere
in America
• Administration developed first ever comprehensive all government and civil society national
strategic plan to combat antisemitism
• Passed with bipartisan support a measure that would create for first time an antisemitism
coordinator to work with and across all federal government departments
Trump and Republicans:
• Unchallenged antisemitism is alive and well at leadership levels in Republican party including at
the top
• He may or may not be an antisemite himself. But as State Department Antisemitism Special
Monitor Professor Deborah Lipstadt — whose confirmation was held up for 8 months because
Republicans didn’t like her condemnation of the January 6 insurrection – has observed that Trump
emboldens and enables extreme right-wing antisemites. (2020 debate when Biden challenged him
to disavow white nationalists, Trump said, “Proud Boys, stand back and standby” and that’s
exactly what they did on January 6)
• Massacre at Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue, worst killing of Jews in American history, was
carried out by far-right extremist who responded to Trump’s rhetoric about an “invasion” at the
southern border
• Trump, whose recent social media post included reference to a “unified Reich,” famously invited
two notorious antisemites to dine with him at Mar-a-Lago, Nick Fuentes and Kanye West
• Trump accused American Jews of disloyalty and hating their religion because they don’t vote for
him
Prepared by Martin Raffel 6/13/24 martin.raffel@gmail.com
