Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) has taken his party to task over what he describes as a glaring inconsistency in how Democrats address antisemitism. In an opinion piece published Sunday in The New York Times, Gottheimer argued that while the party is quick to condemn hate from the right, it too often stays silent when antisemitic rhetoric emerges from the left.
“Across the Democratic Party’s ideological spectrum, right-wing hate is consistently condemned,” Gottheimer wrote. “Today, too many Democrats are noticeably and shamefully silent when antisemitism comes from the far left — at a moment when the Anti-Defamation League is reporting a surge of antisemitic incidents in the past three years. It’s a glaring double standard.”
Gottheimer zeroed in on Hasan Piker, a left-wing streamer with millions of followers who has made inflammatory statements. Piker referred to Orthodox Jews as “inbred,” said “America deserved 9/11,” and called Hamas — a U.S.-designated terrorist group that has killed and taken American hostages — “a thousand times better” than Israel, which he labeled a “fascist settler colonial apartheid state.” Piker later offered halfhearted retractions.
Piker, a vocal critic of Israel, has appeared alongside prominent Democrats including Representatives Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), and Ro Khanna (Calif.). He frequently critiques the party from the left and has endorsed progressive candidates. After Gottheimer’s op-ed, Piker challenged him on X: “You can condemn my opinion on israel in a public setting to my face, any time – any place (not israel) of your choosing.” He added, “i think your constituents find your views on israel to be far more morally repugnant than mine!”
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and triggered a humanitarian crisis. That conflict has intensified debate among Democrats over U.S. support for Israel. Gottheimer argued that the party’s criticism of Israel far outweighs its condemnation of other allies — and even of regimes like Iran’s, which slaughtered thousands of its own citizens in recent protests.
“The Democratic condemnation piled on Israel’s government is overwhelming in comparison to other allies,” Gottheimer wrote. “It’s also louder than Democrats’ condemnation of Iran’s regime for the slaughter of thousands of Iranians in December and January. Israel has been decried by some leading Democrats as an ‘apartheid’ state.”
Last month, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said the U.S. should not fund Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, arguing that Israel can pay for it itself. “Consistent with my voting record to date, I will not support Congress sending more taxpayer dollars and military aid to a government that consistently ignores international law and U.S. law,” she wrote on X.
Gottheimer’s critique echoes broader tensions within the party, as some Democrats have accused colleagues of applying a double standard when it comes to antisemitism — particularly on the left. The debate also intersects with ongoing conversations about the party’s electoral strategy. A recent book argues that Democrats are abandoning their own voters in red-state America, while other reports highlight the party’s uphill battle in key Senate races.
As the 2024 election cycle heats up, figures like Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear have signaled openness to a presidential run, stressing that Democrats must “absolutely win” the next race. But internal divisions over Israel and antisemitism could complicate efforts to present a unified front.
