House Democrats' delay in condemning attack on Israel disappoints Jewish lawmaker

A Jewish state lawmaker said she was disappointed in her fellow Democrats for failing to release a public statement quickly about the deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas terrorists.

The dispute highlighted divisions in the Democratic Party between Israel supporters and those who sympathize with Palestinians. At the same time, Arizona's Republican officials took the opportunity to complain about the Biden administration in their own statements on the attack.

Democrats in the state House of Representatives put out a news release Oct. 10 saying they "unequivocally condemn the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on innocent Israelis, as well as any and all actions that target civilians." But they wouldn't have put out anything until Tucson Democrats Rep. Alma and Consuelo Hernandez urged them to, according to Rep. Alma Hernandez.

"I am just disheartened and really frustrated that it took this long," Alma Hernandez said. "It took me sending a not-very-nice email for us to even see anything."

Hernandez praised fellow Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs, however, for announcing on Oct. 9 that the Executive Tower next to the state Capitol – which houses her offices and those of other officials – would be lit in blue light in solidarity with the people of Israel.

In comments to reporters, Hobbs condemned the “horrific terrorist attack” by the Hamas militants and said Arizona supports Israel’s “right to self defense.”

“The state of Arizona stands with Israel, and we'll continue to do that,” she said.

Arizona politicians offer condolences

Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes joined a dozen attorneys general in other states in condemning the violence.

“We are aghast and outraged at the wanton, calculated attacks on civilians going about their daily lives,” the statement reads. “The carnage, perpetrated by Hamas and its supporters, has directly led to the loss of hundreds of innocent lives and horrific kidnappings. We grieve with our Israeli siblings, and with the loved ones of all those innocent lives lost in Israel and Gaza because of this surprise attack.”

Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, also a Democrat, said on X he supported the “democratic nation of Israel against the terrorists who have taken the lives of innocent men, women and children," adding that he continued to "pray for peace."

Republican Treasurer Kimberly Yee used the event to tout her opposition to boycott movements targeting Israel, inviting her followers to “join me in praying for protection over the people of Israel against these evil Hamas terrorist attacks.”

Tom Horne, the Republican superintendent of public instruction, who's Jewish, said he "firmly" stands in support of Israel and believes "Hamas should be destroyed.”

Arizona Sen. Frank Carroll, R-Sun City West, blamed the Biden administration for foreign policies that "have enabled and encouraged our enemies to act out aggressively against our allies. Democrats at the federal level have been denying the obvious about the intentions of dictators and terrorists."

While the Middle East's political situation is "complex," terrorist acts "have no place nor excuse," he wrote.

Both Carroll and Senate President Warren Petersen, in his own statement Oct. 9 on behalf of the Senate GOP, worried that Biden's border policies weren't restrictive enough to prevent terrorists from entering the country.

House Speaker Ben Toma issued a statement Oct. 10 on behalf of the House GOP, saying they "stand unequivocally with our Israeli brothers and sisters and grieve with those who have lost loved ones to these unprovoked atrocities."

Senate Democratic Leader Mitzi Epstein, D-Tempe, also issued a statement on Oct. 10, saying it was "paramount that all captives — Israelis and Americans — be released immediately without inflicting additional harm."

Jewish Democratic lawmaker blasts Dem leaders

Yet Democrats in both the state Senate and House waited too long to speak out in the first days after the attack, Alma Hernandez said.

After asking Democratic leaders to put out a statement, the caucus sent several drafts of a statement to her and her sister that they didn't find acceptable because they discussed the difficult politics of the region and the decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestinians.

"All we were asking for was just an acknowledgement that as the Democratic caucus, we don't support terrorist acts," she said. "It was never meant to be political."

She shared a mordant letter she sent to Democratic leaders ripping their hesitation.

"It truly feels terrible being a Democrat and part of this caucus right now," she wrote to them. "I never knew that it would be so difficult for you all to denounce torturing innocent women, children and elderly ..."

Democratic leaders also allowed Rep. Athena Salman, D-Tempe, who has publicly condemned Israel for its actions in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, to review the drafts, Hernandez said, questioning whether leaders would seek her opinion if Salman was asking for support for "her community."

Salman, who's of Palestinian descent, and her husband, state Sen. Juan Mendez, D-Tempe, have long supported the Palestinian community here and abroad, helping to open the Palestinian American Community Center in Phoenix in 2020.

Salman said in a 2019 post on x.com, "My father was beaten in high school by the Israeli military for attending a demonstration against the occupation. Things have only become worse since then."

The political couple's anti-Israel stance is echoed by other progressive Democratic politicians across the country. In Congress, Reps. Cori Bush, D-Missouri, and Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, were flamed by Republicans and fellow Democrats after making negative remarks about Israel in the attack's aftermath.

House Democratic leaders Reps. Lupe Contreras, D-Avondale, and Oscar De Los Santos, D-Laveen, didn't return phone calls for this article. Neither did Salman or Mendez.

Reach the reporter at rstern@arizonarepublic.com or 480-276-3237. Follow him on X @raystern.

Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.com or 480-416-5669. Follow her on X @sbarchenger.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Democrats' split over Israel shown by delay in public comment