Rahm Emanuel presses Democrats to offer Middle East plan beyond cutting Israel arms funding

Right · 2Rahm Emanuel, a former US ambassador to Japan and former Chicago mayor who is openly considering a 2028 presidential run, challenged Democrats who want to cut weapons funding to Israel to explain what else their Middle East policy would include. 1 2 Right · 1Speaking to Fox News Digital at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Emanuel said critics of his approach must "tell me your plan," adding: "your plan can't just be we're going to cut off funding for weapons. What's your peace idea? What's your security idea? What's the economic package? I've laid out mine." 1 Right · 1Emanuel said he wants to be "vigorous and strong" about what a security and peace agreement would bring the United States, Israel and the alliance, and said he is "not interested in fighting a third war" in the Middle East. 1

Right · 1Asked whether Jewish Zionists are still welcome in the party and whether he still calls himself one, Emanuel laughed and said he believes in the US-Israel alliance but that "the path we're on is unsustainable" because it lacks the support of the American people. 1 Right · 1In July, Emanuel gave a policy speech at Tel Aviv University, saying the alliance is "at a crossroads" because of Israel's falling popularity with Americans and that Israel "has never been more strategically isolated." 1 Right · 1Fox News cited a February Gallup study showing 65% of Democrats sympathetic to Palestinians and 17% to Israel, against 70% of Republicans siding with Israel and 13% with the Palestinians. 1

Right · 1The Washington Examiner, on the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, reported that Emanuel said America is ready to elect its first Jewish president, and described him as a centrist arguing Democrats must balance Israel's security, Palestinian statehood and a broader regional peace strategy. 2 Right · 1The Examiner said the issue could pit Emanuel against Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a staunch Israel supporter, and candidates far more critical of Israel such as Michigan Senate nominee Abdul el Sayed, who has faced pressure from Jewish leaders over Israel and military aid. 2 Right · 1Analysts quoted by the Examiner said Israel is a fault line in the party but not necessarily its defining issue; one, Michael Fahey, said "Opposing military aid is a position. It isn't, by itself, a Middle East policy," and another, Dave Spencer, said the Oct. 27 Israeli election and events in Gaza could change the issue's weight by 2028. 2

Right · 1Emanuel's record includes three House terms from Illinois, chairing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2006, serving as Barack Obama's first White House chief of staff, two terms as Chicago mayor from 2011 to 2019, and the Japan ambassadorship under Biden. 1