Staff Reports
The Washington State Democratic Party just handed the left a new problem it could have avoided. At the party’s state convention in Spokane this month, delegates approved platform language that says a “dramatic resurgence in antisemitism … is due in part to actions taken by the Israeli government.” The same document includes a section on Palestinian rights and a plank that rejects “forms of Zionism” described as “rooted in supremacy.” In short: the state Democrats blamed Israel — and by extension many Jewish Americans — for the spike in Jew‑hatred. That’s not just tone‑deaf. It’s dangerous.
What the Washington Democrats wrote in the platform
The platform committee report adopted at the Spokane convention contains plain language tying some recent antisemitic incidents to actions by the Israeli government. It also calls for an end to occupation, relief and reconstruction for Palestinians, and rejects “racist political ideologies rooted in supremacy, including forms of Zionism.” The party spokesman said the wording was submitted by the delegation from Legislative District 23 and that party leaders looped in the Jewish Caucus when the language was proposed. Whether that loop‑in was meaningful or merely paperwork is now the argument everyone is having.
Why Jewish groups and Republican leaders are furious
Leaders of Jewish organizations called the passage “dangerously wrong” and “victim‑blaming.” Jim Walsh, chair of the Washington State Republican Party, blasted the wording as classic narcissism and said it echoes the ugly habit of blaming the victim. Those are strong words — but they echo a common-sense point: fighting antisemitism means protecting Jewish people, not pointing fingers at them. The platform’s wording has already sparked condemnation from multiple Jewish groups and put Washington Democrats on the defensive.
Context: antisemitism is up — and politics didn’t help
We don’t need to guess that antisemitic incidents rose after the October 7 terror attacks — watchdog groups documented a clear spike on campuses and in communities nationwide. That should make every party act with care. Instead, this platform reads like a political dodge. Blaming Israel for growing Jew‑hatred lets bad actors off the hook and gives critics a pass. If the Democratic Party wants to reduce antisemitism, it should stop amplifying language that internationalizes and politicizes Jewish safety at home.
What the party should do next
First, Washington Democrats should publish the full platform text and explain how this language won delegate approval. Chair Shasti Conrad’s office should answer whether the Jewish Caucus had real input and whether the party will revise any victim‑blaming lines. Second, the party should meet with Jewish community leaders and stop treating their concerns as an afterthought. Finally, political leaders who care about stopping antisemitism should call out hate where it comes from — not where it makes them uncomfortable. When a major party starts blaming the victims, voters should take note. If Democrats want to repair the damage, they need action, not excuses — and fast.
