California Democrats pass resolutions condemning anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism

(JNS)—The California Democratic Party’s executive board passed three pro-Israel resolutions on Aug. 25, condemning hatred towards Jews and the State of Israel.

One resolution, which Progressive Zionists of California (PZC) co-founder Susan George said “sailed through,” expresses “how anti-Semitic hate speech harms Jews and other Zionists in the California Democratic Party.”

It states that Zionism is “the human right to self-determination of the Jewish people in their homeland of Israel,” and mentions that anti-Semitic rhetoric has been “regularly employed by anti-Israel activists both inside and outside the [party] using demeaning and degrading language about Jews and supporters of Israel.”

The resolution also condemns sentiments that “dehumanize or employ stereotypes about Jews, such as that Jews control or wield unusual power over the economy, government or media,” in addition to contending that “Jews do not have a right to self-determination or protections from discrimination accorded to others.”

A second resolution offered backing for “diverse voices targeted by the Trump administration,” including Jews.

Finally, a third resolution approved the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism.

At the same time, the California Democratic Party’s legislative committee also voted to support a bill sponsored by Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) that advocates for “the human rights of Palestinian children living under Israeli military occupation and [requires] that United States funds do not support military detention, interrogation, abuse or ill-treatment of Palestinian children.”

In a press release, PZC expressed objection to the bill as a measure that “imperils a two-state solution by connecting U.S. military funding to Israeli security practices regarding the detention of minors,” and for “presenting a one-sided and dishonest picture of Israel’s security issues.”

Earlier this year, California Democrats rejected anti-Israel resolutions at the party’s state convention in San Francisco.