Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is the first Republican to publicly break ranks with the GOP’s staunch defense of Israel and has charged that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. In a statement reported by The American Conservative, Greene posted on X July 28 that “it’s the most truthful and easiest thing to say that Oct. 7 in Israel was horrific and all the hostages must be returned, but so is the genocide, humanitarian crisis and starvation happening in Gaza.” She was joined by nine Democrats who used the term genocide, including Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (NY), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Ilhan Omar (MN).
The New York Times today notes that other MAGA Republicans, especially younger layers who are less “reflexive” on Israel, are questioning the defense of Israel. It mentions the case of Libertarian commentator Dave Smith, who spoke out at a recent conservative student conference, that there’s no reason why the U.S. should be in lockstep with Israel. ‘'Obviously, Christians and Jews and Muslims have a connection to that land, but that doesn’t mean we have to bomb Iran for Israel,'’ he said. He added that it also ‘'doesn’t mean that we have to support Israel slaughtering people in Gaza.'’
What to do with unruly MAGA youth? The Times quotes Matthew Brooks of the Republican Jewish Coalition trying to explain that younger layers just have “an ill-informed view of things” and are being misinformed about Israel, but then admits it is really “challenging” to “educate this generation” while also working with other groups. Maybe young people prefer the truth as LaRouche Organization organizers have found in their field organizing. The Times notes it would be a “remarkable shift” in traditional Republican pro-Israel stance if more GOPers began “to criticize Israel.”
