During July, Representative Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington state, cast a vote to withhold $3.3 billion in defence funding allocated for Israel. Prior to this, Smith had backed Israel and received an endorsement from AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying organisation.
In an interview with a television news outlet, Smith explained that his position on the military aid package for Israel had shifted, with constituents persuading him that extending support before any change in Israeli conduct across Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon would send the wrong message. The discussion also covered topics including artificial intelligence regulation, the conflict involving Iran, and the upcoming midterm elections.
Democratic voter participation fell in certain communities where Gaza-related foreign policy ranked among the top concerns heading into the 2024 election. According to an April Pew Research survey, roughly six in ten American adults held a negative opinion of Israel. Among those identifying as Democrats or Democrat-leaning independents, the figure rises to 80%.
The representative for Washington's 9th Congressional District noted that feedback from voters had played a role in shifting his position. He underscored that his stance also reflects shifting realities on the ground in Israel, noting that the country has faced ongoing security threats for an extended period — a fact he said tends to be overlooked — and that Israel began as a socialist and largely secular state.
Smith had supported Israel during his early years in politics in the 1980s and 1990s, but his position shifted after observing Netanyahu's handling of the October 7 aftermath. He noted that no credible path forward had been offered to the Palestinian people, and that a growing presence of religious conservatism within the Israeli government had further influenced his stance.
He maintained his position on backing Israel after the October 7 attack while arguing that a negotiated peace arrangement should have been pursued. In his own words, Smith contended that Israel had undergone greater transformation than he had. Smith also stated that he believed the Democratic Party stood a favourable chance of recapturing congressional majorities in November.
In that scenario, he would be positioned to lead the House Armed Services Committee. When questioned about artificial intelligence applications within the military, Smith noted that his position on the House Armed Services Committee still left him with considerable gaps in knowledge, adding that the Pentagon under its current leadership had not demonstrated a commitment to transparency. Their precise activities, he said, remain unclear.
