“If you happen to vote for this you’re placing my little one — and each Jewish little one within the state — in danger,” Positive mentioned. “…If you happen to vote for this you’re an anti-Semite.”
Even Home Democratic Chief Ventress Driskel admitted that she requested Nixon to withdraw her decision from consideration through the particular session held this week. In a exceptional scene earlier than the vote, most members of the Home of Representatives stood and turned their backs to Nixon as she defended her resolution throughout her closing speech.
“You possibly can flip your backs on me as a result of I am on the proper facet of historical past as a result of I do not need youngsters to die,” mentioned Nixon, who asserted that different Democrats had requested her to drop the decision as a result of it will have an effect on fundraising efforts on the celebration.
Nixon’s feedback got here minutes after Rep. Michael Gottlieb (D-Davie), who’s Jewish and chairs the Jewish Legislative Caucus, mentioned his fellow Democrat’s resolution was “born of ignorance and anti-Semitism.”
“Concern for hundreds of harmless lives doesn’t make anybody an anti-Semite,” Nixon responded.
Nixon, as soon as a discipline organizer for a union, is normally aligned with the celebration’s progressive wing, and in 2022 helped set up an impromptu protest on the Home ground in opposition to a congressional map pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The protest shut down the Home of Representatives for about an hour.
The Democratic divide resembles the preventing happening on faculty campuses throughout the nation and within the halls of the US Congress. Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, many universities have struggled to steadiness freedom of expression with protests organized by college students on either side. In a single notable incident, Columbia College in New York Metropolis closed After a whole lot of individuals gathered on campus to carry competing pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Jewish Democrats hit again strongly on the celebration’s progressive wing over help for Israel, together with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Sunday, Florida Democrat Put up a post on social media Disciplining the consultant Rashida Tlaib (Democrat from Michigan) due to her protection of the Palestinian slogan “From the River to the Sea.”
“This phrase means the elimination of Israel and the Jews. “Interval,” Wasserman Schultz mentioned. “Dressing it up with a brand new PR stunt is not going to change that. Solely the return of the hostages, the elimination of Hamas, and the liberation of Gaza from oppressive terrorism will save civilian lives and safe the peace, justice, and dignity it seeks.
The scene on the Florida Capitol got here on the second day of a particular session referred to as by legislative leaders to point out solidarity with Israel and develop sanctions in opposition to Iran, which is allied with two militant teams, together with Hamas. The Home on Tuesday additionally permitted a package deal of payments geared toward offering no less than half a billion in new hurricane restoration spending, grants to spice up safety at Jewish day faculties, and revamping a grant program that helps householders put together for storms.
The spending payments acquired solely transient dialogue and debate on the Home ground, as did the sanctions enlargement invoice, although that additionally attracted three “no” votes from Democrats.
As an alternative, it was three resolutions — Nixon’s and two expressing help for Israel — that generated emotionally charged actions as lawmakers spoke concerning the Holocaust and recounted brutal particulars about Hamas assaults. Home Republicans additionally pressured recorded votes on all three resolutions, itself a departure from normal follow.
Positive, who switched his endorsement within the presidential race to former President Donald Trump after he complained that DeSantis was not doing sufficient to fight anti-Semitism, sponsored a decision stating that Israel has the proper to defend itself by “eliminating Hamas and not using a ceasefire or ceasefire.” taking pictures”. Positive’s resolution additionally criticized the rise in “anti-Semitic rhetoric” on faculty campuses.
The ultimate vote on Positive’s decision was 103-3, with Nixon, Driskel and Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) voting no. Eskamani additionally voted in favor of Nixon’s decision. A 3rd decision expressing help for Israel was unanimously permitted.
The choice by Home Republicans to think about Nixon’s resolution was noteworthy, suggesting they could use it in opposition to Democrats in subsequent yr’s elections. Sometimes, Home leaders do not even schedule a vote on a measure that has widespread opposition.
Florida is house to a big Jewish inhabitants, particularly within the Democratic strongholds of South Florida. DeSantis has made his help for Israel a outstanding plank of his presidential marketing campaign platform, and even tapped an emergency aid fund to assist transport People stranded in Israel to Florida.
Florida Home Speaker Paul Reiner (R-Palm Coast) defended the choice to think about Nixon’s decision, saying Nixon had an opportunity to withdraw it however determined to go forward. He mentioned it was vital to talk with “ethical readability” about help for Israel.
Renner additionally took pains to level out to reporters {that a} handful of Democrats didn’t vote on Nixon’s decision though they weren’t excused from Tuesday’s session. He handed a replica of the voting paper, with the names of the representatives circled, to a media skilled.
“If they can not take a stand on a difficulty like this, what can they stand on?” Renner mentioned.
Driskel, who ignored the suggestion that Nixon’s resolution was anti-Semitic, mentioned that whereas most Democrats stood in opposition to Nixon’s resolution, she mentioned, “We’ll get by this.”
The Florida Senate will not be anticipated to have the identical prolonged dialogue about Israel and Hamas throughout its session on Wednesday. That chamber solely plans to vote on a decision that reveals solidarity with Israel whereas additionally stating that the nation has the proper to exist and defend itself.