August 19, 2024
During the Great Debate at AJC Global Forum 2024, representatives for the Republican and Democratic parties each made their case for why their candidate was the best choice for the American Jewish community. But what’s on each party’s political agenda during this election cycle?
When Republicans gather for their national convention in Milwaukee on July 15, and Democrats meet in Chicago on August 19, both parties will present their platforms for the 2024 election. Republicans unveiled their 2024 platform ahead of the convention — the first revision in eight years after the party simply reaffirmed its 2016 language in 2020. For both parties, it will be the first platform drafted after Hamas’ October 7 attack.
In the wake of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, here are five planks AJC is urging both parties to incorporate into their platforms and address during their conventions, paired with what they said most recently on each topic. AJC is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. As such, AJC does not endorse or oppose political parties or candidates.
1) Maintaining a Strong U.S.-Israel Relationship
Throughout its 75-plus-year history, Israel, like the U.S., has been a beacon of democracy. It has enjoyed a strong alliance with the American people and its government. The U.S. must condemn those who disregard Israel’s legitimacy and seek to hold Israel’s behavior to a standard applied to no other nation.
Bipartisan support, as well as the enduring tradition of providing U.S. security assistance to Israel, is critical. This includes addressing terror threats such as removing Hamas from Gaza and sanctioning the Hezbollah terror army backed by the Iran regime.
What do the latest platforms say?
Democrats in 2024: "President Biden and Vice President Harris believe a strong, secure, and democratic Israel is vital to the interests of the United States."
Republicans in 2024: “Prevent World War 3, restore peace in Europe and in the Middle East, and build a great iron dome missile defense shield over our entire country -- all made in America.”
2) Promoting Israel’s Place in the World
As the October 7 Hamas massacre and Israel’s military response continue to convulse the region and shape perceptions about Israel, the U.S. must strive – in close cooperation with allies and partners in the region – to strengthen the Abraham Accords and promote normalization between Israel and Arab countries.
When it comes to working toward a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, any path to Palestinian statehood alongside the modern Jewish state of Israel must include working with Palestinian leadership to abandon educational curricula and civic practices that demonize Jews, or payment structures that reward and incentivize terrorism.
What do the latest platforms say?
Democrats in 2024: "Their [Biden and Harris] commitment to Israel’s security, its qualitative military edge, its right to defend itself, and the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding is ironclad. President Biden and Vice President Harris recognize the worth of every innocent life, whether Israeli or Palestinian."
"President Biden and Vice President Harris have unequivocally denounced Hamas’s brutal attack on Israel on October 7, condemned the gruesome violence–including conflict-related sexual violence– demonstrated by Hamas and made clear that the United States wants to see Hamas defeated."
"The Administration has worked tirelessly to deepen and widen regional integration. In September 2023, President Biden announced a new economic corridor to connect India to Europe through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel. He also directed his Administration to build on the Abraham Accords and work on a historic normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia. As a tangible sign of this normalization process, President Biden helped negotiate the first-ever civilian aviation agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, allowing for overflight of Israeli civilian aircraft in Saudi airspace and leading to a more integrated and economically connected MiddleEast."
Republicans in 2024: “We will stand with Israel, and seek peace in the Middle East. We will rebuild our Alliance Network in the Region to ensure a future of Peace, Stability, and Prosperity.”
3) Countering Iran’s Power in the Middle East
With its nuclear ambitions, advanced missile program, proxy armies, and support for terror, the Iranian regime poses a profound danger to American interests and allies, and to global peace and security. The Iranian regime's increasing collusion with Russia, China, and North Korea must also be of particular concern to the U.S. and our allies.
Tehran’s terrorist proxies, including Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthis, and the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), pose an existential threat to Israel, America’s key ally.
Meanwhile, negotiations to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Iran nuclear deal, have started, stalled, and stopped as Tehran flouted one commitment after another while reportedly stockpiling enough highly enriched uranium to make a bomb, threatening Israel’s existence.
The U.S. and coalition partners must intensify their retaliatory actions against Iran and its proxies, including the Houthis and related militias, for hostile acts that have taken the lives of American soldiers, among others, and could widen the current conflict.
Universal designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah as terrorist entities; insistence on International Atomic Energy Agency access to, and monitoring of, declared and suspected nuclear sites; and full enforcement of oil, missile, and arms transfer sanctions, should be the beginning but not the end of concerted allied steps to deter and punish Iranian violations of international law.
What do the latest platforms say?
Democrats in 2024: "Through aggressive diplomacy backed by U.S. military power, the Administration has worked alongside our allies and partners to deter and defend against Iranian terrorist surrogates."
"President Biden remains committed to a diplomatic solution while standing resolute that Iran will never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons."
Republicans in 2024: “Republicans will strengthen Economic, Military, and Diplomatic capabilities to protect the American way of life from the malign influences of Countries that stand against us around the World.”
4) Addressing Antisemitism
Communities throughout the United States are currently seeing an unprecedented rise in antisemitism. According to AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2023 report, more than 6 in 10 American Jews say the status of Jews in the United States is less secure than a year ago.
Every level of government should consider adopting its own strategy to counter antisemitism. Corporations, social media platforms, academic institutions, media, and influential voices – among others – play critical roles in countering and depoliticizing antisemitism. Hate crimes reporting must be strengthened and Jewish American heritage should be celebrated alongside the multitude of other cultures that make up the U.S.
ACT NOW: Ensure Both Parties Address Antisemitism
What do the latest platforms say?
Democrats in 2024: President Biden has been a strong and unequivocal voice speaking out against rising antisemitism in America. The Administration released the first-ever National Strategy to CounterAntisemitism, outlining a whole-of-society effort, including unprecedented, coordinated, and bold actions across government agencies, and calls to action for Congress, state and local governments, companies, technology platforms, and others."
As part of that strategy, the Administration clarified, for the first time in writing, that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits certain forms of antisemitic, Islamophobic, and related discrimination, including discrimination by national origin, in federally funded programs and activities. President Biden continues to take bold action to combat antisemitism on college campuses. And he has prioritized fighting antisemitism abroad by appointing Deborah Lipstadt as U.S. Special Envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, an ambassador-level position."
Republicans in 2024: “Republicans condemn antisemitism, and support revoking Visas of Foreign Nationals who support terrorism and jihadism. We will hold accountable those who perpetrate violence against Jewish people.”
5) Advancing Democratic Values and Human Rights
America has a vital role to play in combating the assault on liberal democracy taking place in many countries. This assault is all too often coupled with a rise in antisemitism and prejudice against minorities.
Both parties should hold governments accountable for upholding universal human rights commitments and norms and commit to developing clear policy to prevent and prosecute mass atrocity crimes, the risk of which has risen due to global instability.
Longstanding diplomatic relationships – with transatlantic allies, neighbors, trans-Pacific partners, moderate Arab states, and stalwart allies like Israel – are essential to address myriad global threats.
While the U.S. cannot be the world’s policeman, history has amply shown that when the U.S. withdraws—or is perceived to retreat—from the global stage, dangerous vacuums are created, and others—both state and non-state actors—seek to fill them, pursuing goals antithetical to our own. Our nation must be prepared to use all the tools of statecraft to project leadership, vision, strength, and a commitment to human rights.
What do the latest platforms say?
Democrats in 2024: "We live in a period of significant global change. The world is at an inflection point between those who argue that autocracy–rule by dictators or single leaders–is the answer to facing today’s challenges and those who understand that democracy–rule by the people–is essential to moving our world forward and uplifting people everywhere."
"We must rally the world to address the challenges that impact all of us, from climate change and global health to human rights, technology, food security, and inclusive economic growth."
Republicans in 2024: “Defend our constitution, our bill of rights, and our fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms.”
