Concerns Grow as Resolutions Process Prioritizes Division Over Shared Values
RALEIGH, NC — Jewish Democrats across North Carolina have spent recent months engaging in good faith with party leaders to promote a balanced, inclusive approach to complex international issues, particularly the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, while encouraging a broader focus on the values and priorities that unite North Carolina Democrats. Unfortunately, those efforts have been met with resistance throughout the party’s resolutions process.
The North Carolina Democratic Party’s platform is shaped by resolutions put forward by its Resolutions Committee, which voted to pass on a series of troubling resolutions, including one calling for an embargo on the State of Israel. Rather than prioritizing critical topics like climate change, accessible healthcare, teacher pay, or North Carolina-specific issues, the Resolutions Committee elected to focus on only a select few issues, chief among them matters regarding Israel. These resolutions will now be voted on by the party’s State Executive Committee.
“Now more than ever, Democrats must unite to oppose Donald Trump’s extreme agenda and a gerrymandered Republican legislature,” said Lisa Jewel, President of the North Carolina Democratic Party Jewish Caucus. “As President of a caucus that represents more than 500 members, I’m deeply disappointed that a vocal minority within our party continues to sow division. At a time when antisemitic incidents are on the rise across the state, double the national average according to recent data, the Jewish Caucus has repeatedly called for unity, yet the Resolutions Committee chose to focus on wedge issues that, ultimately, would result in harm to our friends and family.”
Caucus President Jewel added: “Our caucus includes a wide range of views on Israel. We are not a monolith in how we practice Judaism, or how we engage with Israel. But what unites us is the rising concern for our safety here at home, especially after recent antisemitic attacks in places like Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Boulder.”
Much of the anti-Israel rhetoric seems to originate from the Interfaith Caucus, which publicly celebrated the favorable vote in the Resolutions Committee on the Israeli embargo. “The Interfaith Caucus claims to represent the will of the party, but we challenge that assertion. We urge North Carolina Democrats to reflect on how best to reclaim leadership in a state suffering from Republican gerrymandering,” said Jewel. “We are disappointed that the Resolutions Committee has taken this step and call upon party leadership to reaffirm party unity, refocus on electability, and reject virtue signaling distractions that divide us at the expense of progress.”
Contact Information:
Perry Dror, Communications Chair
North Carolina Democratic Party Jewish Caucus
828-280-2084
communications@ncdpjc.org
ncdpjc.org