Congressman Hakeem Jeffries WASHINGTON D.C.: “I represent the ninth most African American district in the country [Brooklyn and Queens] and the 14th most Jewish.”
This was just one of the statements made by House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Conference (AIPAC), that received raucous cheers and applause during a packed to the gills breakout session, filled with diverse attendees.
Indeed, moderator Labriah Lee, AIPAC’s director of outreach and engagement, made a point of stating, “I think it’s incredible to see diversity here across racial lines, political lines, across gender lines.”
In the conversation with Jeffries, which covered everything from his rising star in the Democratic party, to his work on criminal justice reform and his support for Israel, Hakeem said he believed that electorally, “the heart and soul of the Democratic base are middle-aged African American, largely church-going women who have powered elections all across the country including the election twice of President Barack Obama.”
Hakeem said this was important to note because, “I believe that we are the most authentic representatives of the American people and the House of course is the institution that was designed to represent the current people and the current mood and current passion.”
Of his unwavering support for Israel he said having been to Israel three times now (the first in 2008, then again as freshman congress person and finally last year with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff), on his first two visits he went to Yad Vashem.
“Just in terms of the historic tragedy that the Holocaust represented, just to be able to experience it with both Jewish and non-Jewish colleagues in a meaningful way,” helped him put into context the district he represents, he said.
“I represent people who were directly victimized and their families adversely impacted by the Holocaust. I talk often about the fact that I serve more Russian speaking Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union than any other congressman in the country. I mean, Hakeem Jeffries, who knew?”
Understanding what happened in the Holocaust, he said, “when you anchor that against that outrageous crime against humanity in the annals of human history, you understand the importance to strongly stand by Israel and its right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people as a Jewish and a democratic state.”
Jeffries also showed off his understanding of the geopolitical situation on the ground in the Middle East and the threats Israel faces. “Being physically on the ground and having the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of stakeholders [from] defense, the IDF, the intelligence community professors and others had a meaningful impact on me,” he said. He added that it’s why he is urging all the new congress members to take the congressional trip to Israel this August.
“I say often, when you step back and see Hamas in Gaza and the dangerous situation including elements of Al Qaeda in the south, in the Sinai, Hezbollah in the North, the chaos in Syria including Russia and other [adversarial] entities including ISIS as well as Iran with nuclear aspirations in that region — it’s clear Israel lives in a tough neighborhood.”
Drawing on his own roots, Jeffries said, “As someone who came of age in central Brooklyn in the late 80s and early 90s, I know from tough neighborhoods. I’ve learned from my own experiences that when you live in a tough neighborhood, at the end of the day the only thing that you can guarantee people respect is strength, which is why I’m committed to [Israel].”
Asked about the “current debate” around Democrats in the House — a veiled reference to the controversy surrounding Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn) comments about Israel, Jews and AIPAC, Jeffries said, “The overwhelming majority of the House Democratic Caucus is strongly pro Israel, has been strongly been pro-Israel and will remain strongly pro-Israel.”
He added, “I’m committed as are many of my colleagues to [Israel] because of the shared democratic values of our two countries and the shared strategic interests of our two countries in an important region of the world.”
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