Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., one of the most pro-Israel members of Congress is slowly shifting course amid the outcry over starving children in Gaza.
"All parties, including the U.S. and Israel, have a moral obligation to do everything in our power to ease the hardship and hunger that's taken hold in the Gaza Strip," Torres said in an interview last week, Politico reported.
Torres told Politico his support for Israel remains.
"I feel it's possible to be an unapologetic Zionist while at the same time recognizing there's a crisis in Gaza and recognizing the war has poorly defined strategic objectives," Torres said.
Torres' comments come after a majority of Democrat senators supported a resolution to bar the sale of assault rifles to Israeli police.
"The facts on the ground are that militarily, they have significant tactical advantages and are sufficient enough to be able to effectively deliver food," Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said to Politico. "So the question arises, why can't you get food in there and healthcare services and basically follow humanitarian laws?"
Despite his comments on Gaza, Torres is still calling attention to the hostages who remain captive by Hamas since the Oct. 7 attacks.
"The world's silence about the deliberate starvation of Israeli hostages — at the hands of Hamas and Islamic Jihad — is as deafening as its hypocrisy," Torres posted on social media. "Expect the images of emaciated Israeli bodies, starved in captivity, to appear nowhere in the pages of most major American newspapers."
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., another staunchly pro-Israel senator, voted against the resolution. He said the blame for the recent crisis in Gaza is on Hamas and Iran, not Israel.
"And that explains my vote and my ongoing support. And that's not going to change," Fetterman said. "No one ever declared that it was an actual famine, to be clear."
A new Gallup Poll shows support for Israel's military actions in Gaza had plunged to 8% among Democrats — its lowest rating to date. Most Republicans, 71%, still approve of Israel's actions, according to the poll.
"If there is an erosion of support for Israel in the United States, that's not something the Israeli government should take lightly," Torres said.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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