Democrats Must Have a ‘Come to Jesus’ Moment About Israel — Because Its Blueprint Is Reshaping U.S. Policy and Threatening America’s Future

Editor’s Note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own.

By Notorious VOG

Democrats are standing at a moral and political crossroads. If this party still claims to champion justice, human rights, and democratic principles, then it must confront the reality that U.S. foreign policy toward Israel — and the way it has been defended by many Democratic leaders like Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer— has laid the groundwork for an even more dangerous and lawless era in American governance being led by President Donald Trump and his administration.

And unless Democrats truly reckon with that history, they do not deserve the vote of any American who cares about the rule of law, human dignity, and America’s future.

For decades, U.S. support for the Israeli government has been treated as sacred, unquestionable, and immune from criticism. Allies should be subject to scrutiny — not worship. No nation, however close, should be above the basic principles of human rights and international law. But far too often, Democrats have been willing to excuse or minimize civilian suffering in the Middle East in the name of geopolitical “security” and political expediency. That stance has consequences — consequences America is now living with.

Consider what is happening right now under the Trump administration: the United States military is striking alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and off the coast of Venezuela as part of what’s been called Operation Southern Spear — attacks that have killed dozens of people and raised serious questions about legality and international norms. The administration has even declared the U.S. in a form of “armed conflict” with drug cartels to justify these strikes, despite no clear congressional authorization or evidence that these actions genuinely stem from a traditional threat of war.

Just days ago, U.S. forces conducted airstrikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro in a daring operation condemned around the world as violating international law. These moves — marketed as part of a drug interdiction campaign — aren’t just militarized law enforcement. They parallel, in alarming ways, the very patterns of unchecked state violence and impunity that many Democrats have long defended in the Middle East.

The logic is familiar: justify extraordinary force by labeling an adversary a “terrorist,” bypass traditional legal safeguards, and impose outcomes without broad oversight. That’s exactly the rationale that has been used to defend contentious Israeli military actions in Gaza and elsewhere.

American leaders who once demanded accountability abroad now look eerily silent when similar tactics are deployed in our own hemisphere. This isn’t about partisanship. It’s about principle. The selective application of human rights standards — supporting them only when politically convenient — corrodes America’s credibility and ultimately endangers its citizens. How can Democrat lawmakers suggest troops defy the president’s unlawful orders when they look the other way as US citizens serving in foreign military are allowed to do the exact same thing or even worse?

And the danger goes beyond foreign soil. When the executive branch unilaterally uses lethal force without clear legal backing — against boats in international waters, against a sovereign government’s leader, or against unauthorized “combatants” — that sets a precedent. It normalizes a world in which the rule of law becomes optional, where the president decides when and how force is justified, and where international norms mean less and less.

Every American will pay the price for that erosion by living in a more unstable, unpredictable, and insecure world.

This is not theoretical. Latin American nations like Colombia have already suspended intelligence cooperation with the United States in protest of these strikes, deepening regional mistrust and diplomatic isolation. Experts warn these military actions may provoke broader conflict and instability, not solve the problems they claim to address.

None of this absolves Republicans, who have long cynically wielded support for Israel while embracing antisemitic elements within their own party. But Democrats must face an uncomfortable truth: by refusing to confront human rights abuses abroad — and by defending policies that mirror worst practices — they have helped create a blueprint for authoritarianism that now threatens America itself.

The claim that standing with Israel — no matter the cost — is inherently in America’s interest is flawed. It costs American moral leadership, weakens international norms, and loosens the very legal and ethical guardrails that protect freedoms at home. If the party that claims to believe in justice cannot call for accountability when it matters most, it forfeits the moral authority to lead.

This midterm season, voters must demand more than platitudes. They must demand courage — not just on domestic issues, but on foreign policy that shapes the world our children will inherit. Any politician who insists on unwavering support for policies that undermine human rights and empower unchecked military power abroad is not standing for America’s values — they’re standing against them.

America First shouldn’t mean America isolated from moral accountability. It should mean America committed to universal rights, consistent principles, and a safer world for all its people. Democrats must choose whether they are on the right side of that future — or on the wrong side of history.