Farley Weiss, president of the Israel Justice Organization, warned that rising antisemitism and changing attitudes toward Israel within the Democratic Party pose serious challenges to US-Israel relations. Speaking during the organization's solidarity mission to Israel, Weiss nevertheless emphasized that the Jewish state continues to enjoy exceptionally strong support from influential political figures in Washington, particularly in the Trump administration.
The delegation's visit comes after three years of war and amid political turmoil in the United States. Addressing concerns about the election of politicians he considers hostile to Israel and the Jewish people, Weiss urged Israelis not to lose sight of their allies.
"Even though there were a lot of antisemites elected in the United States to different positions, there are also a lot of friends who are stronger friends now than at pretty much any time in Israel's existence, in Congress, in the Senate, and especially in the White House," he said.
"Some of those friends are with us on this trip. It's very critical for people not to focus on those who are antisemitic and to realize that there are many friends."
Weiss pointed to President Donald Trump as a central source of support for Israel and expressed hope that another Republican president friendly to Israel could succeed him.
At the same time, he acknowledged that the political landscape has changed significantly. Looking back at previous years, Weiss argued that antisemitic voices have become more prominent in Congress.
"If I went back, let's say, 14 years, there were maybe no antisemites in Congress. And today there could be 30. So that's a very troublesome situation," he said.
However, Weiss rejected the suggestion that the challenges facing Israel are entirely new. He recalled the Biden administration's decision to withhold certain weapons from Israel during its war against Hamas, a policy he said was reversed under Trump.
"Some of these policies were already happening three or four years ago. So it's not so new. It's more open," he explained.
"Anti-Zionism Is Antisemitism"
Asked how Israel and Jewish communities should respond to the changing political climate, Weiss identified what he considers the central factor behind the rise in antisemitism: the attempt to separate anti-Zionism from antisemitism.
"The number one reason for the rise of antisemitism is based on this idea that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism," he said, criticizing efforts to weaken the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism.
For Weiss, the connection between Judaism and Zionism is fundamental to Jewish religious identity and tradition. He pointed to the upcoming holiday of Hanukkah as an example.
"Hanukkah celebrates the reunification of Jerusalem under Jewish sovereignty again. You can't have a more Zionist holiday than Hanukkah," he said.
He also cited the traditional references to Jerusalem in Jewish prayers and holidays, including Passover and Yom Kippur, as evidence of the central place of the Land of Israel in Judaism.
"The whole Jewish system is based on Zionism," Weiss argued. "They're trying to say you can be anti-Zionist and not antisemitic. The fact of the matter is that they're antisemitic."
He called for a more assertive response from Jewish organizations and communities.
"We have to call them out. We have to explain that anti-Zionism is antisemitism, and we have to attack their views. The Jewish people are too much on the defensive. We have to be on the offensive."
"You Have to Change Public Opinion"
The conversation also addressed concerns that Israel and its supporters have focused too heavily on relationships with the Republican Party while neglecting their traditional allies among Democrats.
Weiss rejected that assessment, arguing that the deterioration in support for Israel among Democrats is not primarily the result of insufficient political outreach.
"That's a well-known view, but I think it's not accurate," he said. "AIPAC has had tremendous relationships with people in the Democratic Party. What happened was they changed public opinion."
He recounted a conversation described to him by a senior Israeli official, who said Democratic lawmakers had privately expressed support for Israel but feared the political consequences of doing so publicly.
"They said, privately, we support you. But we can't say that publicly because we won't get reelected. We won't win our primary," Weiss recalled.
For Weiss, the account illustrates why maintaining relationships with elected officials is no longer sufficient.
"You have to change public opinion. And the problem is public opinion in the Democratic Party has become anti-Israel," he said.
Asked whether bipartisan support for Israel still exists, Weiss pointed to the Democratic Party's opposition to US military strikes on Iran as an example of the growing political divide.
He argued that there had previously been broad American agreement on the need to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, citing former Secretary of State Antony Blinken's assessment that Iran was weeks away from the capability to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon.
"The United States attacked, and the Democratic Party said we don't support it. It's an unbelievable situation," he said.
"Every Time You Come, You See the Strength of the People"
Despite his concerns about developments in American politics, Weiss concluded the interview on a positive note, reflecting on his repeated visits to Israel and the resilience of its people.
"Every time you come, if you really look closely, you see so many of the miracles of the State of Israel," he said.
Reflecting on the October 7 massacre, Weiss spoke about the scale of the Hamas invasion and the possibility that the loss of life could have been even greater.
He also pointed to Jewish population growth in Judea and Samaria as part of what he described as the extraordinary development of the Jewish state.
For Weiss, returning to Israel remains a powerful experience, particularly after the challenges the country has faced in recent years.
"It's unbelievable to come every time and see new things, but you just see the strength of the people," he said. "Israel is amazing."