Progressive Senate Democrats largely silent on Nasrallah assassination

Some progressive Senate Democrats, including several who have been critical of Israel’s war in Gaza, celebrated the news of Israel’s assassination last week of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and other top leaders of the terror organization, while the majority of left-wing House lawmakers refrained from commenting.

Most House progressive and far-left lawmakers have either condemned Israel’s military actions in Lebanon without mentioning Hezbollah or not commented publicly on the developments. Jewish Insider reached out to over two dozen progressive legislators, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and other proponents of cutting off some military aid to Israel, for comment on the elimination of Hezbollah’s leadership. (Ocasio-Cortez didn’t respond to the request for comment.)

Those who replied, none of whom were House legislators, cheered the news that Nasrallah and top Hezbollah leaders had been wiped out. In addition to Ocasio-Cortez, Reps. Mark Pocan (D-WI), Jason Crow (D-CO) and Sara Jacobs (D-CA) also did not respond to requests for comment. Nor did Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

“Hassan Nasrallah and Hezbollah have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Israelis and Americans, including 241 members of our US Armed Forces in 1983. I fully support Israel’s right to defend itself – and that includes targeted attacks against Hezbollah leaders and commanders as part of the effort to stop Hezbollah from launching missiles at Israel,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) told Jewish Insider in a statement.

The Maryland senator is one of the leading critics of Israel’s war against Hamas; he has supported limiting military aid to Israel and accused Israel of deliberately causing mass starvation in Gaza back in February.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), who said last week that he would still vote to block the transfer of several offensive weapons systems to Israel over its conduct in Gaza, told JI that he welcomed the news of Nasrallah’s demise.

“The death of Hassan Nasrallah, orchestrator of deadly attacks on Americans, Israelis and Lebanese, could open a chapter for a Lebanon governed solely by the Lebanese and free of the toxic influence of Iranian proxy terrorist group Hezbollah,” Kaine said. “The US should strive to work with Lebanese and Israeli partners, including the IDF and the Lebanese Armed Forces, to limit further civilian casualties and deescalate the spiraling conflict.”

“The most urgent need is for a cease-fire and hostage-release deal in Gaza,” he added.

Kaine has said since February that he believes the Biden administration should only provide defensive weapons to Israel. He noted in his statement last Thursday that he has “urged a pause in transfer of any offensive weapons because of the serious harm they will likely cause to Palestinian civilians in Gaza and in the West Bank.”

“I also believe that the US transferring more offensive weapons into the region right now will be an accelerant to ongoing hostilities, jeopardizing the prospects for a cease-fire and hostage-release deal in Gaza — the surest path to de-escalation and to a sustainable peace that would provide for the safety and security of the Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese people, and for US service members deployed to the Middle East,” that statement read.

Leaders of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington criticized Kaine, who is up for reelection this November, for that stance in a statement released Monday.

“As governor and senator, Sen. Kaine has been an ally of Israel and the Jewish community in Virginia. We are therefore disappointed that he would imperil Israel’s security by limiting its military capabilities when it faces unprovoked attacks on multiple fronts. We urge Sen. Kaine to rescind his support for misguided resolutions that would weaken Israel and strengthen its terrorist enemies, who also are America’s enemies,” Ron Halber, CEO of the JCRC of Greater Washington, and Vicki Fishman, director of Virginia government and community relations for the JCRC , said.

“We urge Sen. Kaine to not go down this dangerous path and instead provide the support that Israel needs to protect its people from existential threats,” Halber and Fishman warned.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a progressive who is in a competitive reelection fight, said in a statement that, “Nasrallah was a terrorist who murdered American citizens and thousands of other innocent civilians.”

“I am thinking of all the many victims of Hezbollah’s terrorism in the Middle East and across the world and I stand with Israel as it defends itself against Iran-backed terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas,” the Ohio senator added.